The Libation Bearers
by Autumn Shadows
Summary: Nine years after Zidane went back into the Iifa Tree. All is well and good until Lindblum is attacked by a mysterious phenomenon: the stealing of souls. But the main question is: Does the mind really rule over the heart?
1. The Reunion

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Reunion

There was silence. Zidane Tribal awoke with a start at the sudden realization that the sun was shining on the outside of his window. He sleepily raised his head and looked down to find a mess of papers below him. Once again, he had fallen asleep on his desk the night, or was it morning, before. He felt a pain in his back and groaned. It had happened too many times before and he had always vowed he'd never do it again. Of course, those promises were always broken. His deadline was approaching soon and he needed to finish script. He groggily yawned and pushed a lock of hair away from his face. His tail lazily rose and stretched.

First, he examined the writing below him. A smile formed on his lips when he noticed that he had written "the end" on the paper below. He then noticed the uncapped pen. He silently cursed humorously at the fact that the ink possibly dried throughout the long hours of the night. He picked it up and shook it a bit, realizing that there was no longer any amount of fluid left. The ink had caked in the barrel. He then threw the pen in the trash bin next to his desk where other balls of paper were thrown.

Zidane then gathered the papers in an orderly fashion, taking note of the numbers on the top of the pages. He then remembered that all he had to do was get the script edited and revised with Ruby. Other than that, he was finished. Seven years as a playwright was a tough job. Besides that, he was still young and had a busy schedule every night. For a person of the age of twenty-five, Zidane was pretty accomplished. He had written five bestselling plays in both Alexandria and Lindblum. Many from other villages, towns, and cities, had come to see his creations. Being proud of his work was tough too. He had been a thespian in the past but he found himself to be nitpicky about too many things.

Perfection was the best way to describe his writing. Zidane had been noted as a master writer that was often on the same levels as the classical writers. His plays were always performed in the royal court of the Alexandrian castle where people came every weekend to watch. There were plays four times a week. Ruby's company performed on two of those nights.

Ruby had formed a company nine years ago. Zidane had helped her when he made it back to Alexandra two years after. His plays were all love stories that many people enjoyed watching. They were especially popular with young women; a breakthrough in fine arts history. Plays used to only be popular with the elderly, but lately, many younger viewers had come to watch. Perhaps it was because he was young himself.

He had stopped performing when he started writing. There was so much inspiration, actually. Zidane often found himself bringing his writing materials wherever he went just in case he found something interesting while on the streets. Life was the base of his research. Not only did he learn something new everyday but he always discovered something ancient; something eternal. People changed, yet they still stayed the same. Why was it only recently that he was touched by such a feeling?

A knock interrupted his thoughts. He perked up and turned around to face the doorway.

"Come in," he said sleepily.

A maid opened the door and shyly walked inside. She carried a small basin with a towel underneath it. Zidane tried not to watch her but carefully examined her. From the looks of it, she looked no older than sixteen. Her frame was small and skinny and her hair was neatly tied up in a bun. He recalled that she had brought in his washing water a couple times already. She was a nice young girl and she was always very polite.

"Your washing basin," she stated obviously.

"Thank you," Zidane thanked her simply.

He chuckled as he watched her leave. It was nine years ago when he was her age. Over the years, he had grown wiser and calmer. The age of twenty-five was still young. However, he was definitely not a kid anymore. Of course, that was the new issue. Many other men his age were already beginning to start their own families. More were already married. His lifestyle had caused the very idea to be forbidden. There was also another problem.

He was in love with someone else.

Zidane walked over to the vanity and picked up the small, white towel. He gazed into the mirror and examined his face. Before proceeding to scoop water through his hands, he looked out of the window towards the tallest balcony. The queen resided in those quarters sometimes and he often strayed away from his work to watch her.

Queen Garnet.

They had known each other for nine years. It was definite that she was the first girl he ever truly fell in love with. It was also possible that she would be the last. Throughout the years, she had changed as well. Her body grew thinner and fragile due to the fact that she rarely left the palace for the exception of the frequent trips to Lindblum. She was also more exhausted every day. On the brighter side, she was more confident in her decisions and was never afraid to order people around. Zidane admired her power and respected it just the same.

She was also single to that very day. Over the last five years, especially recently, many suitors came by the palace to try to woo her. Being independent, Garnet had refused all. Of course, Zidane was well aware that there would come a day when she would have to accept. He hated the thought but unlike the days of his youth, he understood that she had to keep her place. He had to keep his.

Sighing at the thought, he finally scooped a fair amount of water with his large hands. It was cool and comforting against his face. He had already grown used to the service given at the castle: fresh water was always available, the food was always hearty yet healthy, he was able to get simple transportation, and there was that ample amount of privacy. Each day was a luxury. Of course, he never really flaunted it like how he thought he would when he was younger.

Another knock sounded on his door. He hurriedly picked up the towel again and rubbed his face gently. He beckoned the visitor as soon as he set the towel down and quickly combed his hair.

"Sir," said a tall knight.

Zidane quickly recognized the man as Adelbert Steiner himself. He smiled and motioned Steiner to come in. Despite the tense they faced years ago, they had grown close. Steiner, over forty, was almost like a father to him. Zidane reached for a ribbon so he could tie his hair.

"Good morning, Steiner," he said calmly. "What brings you here this morning?"

"The Queen requests your audience," Steiner answered. "Miss Eiko arrived here this morning."

"Eiko?" Zidane echoed with wonder. "How strange. She usually lets us know when she's coming. She never really just comes uninvited ... not that she isn't but ... that's something different."

"So it seems," Steiner said thoughtfully. "But her majesty was urgent about the whole matter so you must come immediately."

"Will do," Zidane agreed.

Without another word, he followed Steiner out of the room and into the hallway. The palace was quiet since it was still early in the morning. There were only a few maids out. The palace had been renovated in the past year. The hallways were extended and there were many new amenities too. There were too many newfangled inventions such as the autobuggy. A parking garage was built just for the supply. The kitchens were also reinvented and more organized. It was strange that the palace used to be so old fashioned compared to the one in Lindblum. Now, they were almost comparable in size and technology.

The throne room was also a lot larger and, of course, more majestic. As they entered, Zidane looked around, gazing at the new stained-glass windows. Garnet sat in her throne with casual clothes. She wore a simple red, long-sleeved, cotton shirt with a long light brown skirt. Her hair was shoulder length and held up to one side with a single gold bobby pin. She wore eyeliner and red lipstick to match her outfit. It suddenly registered in Zidane's mind that she had matured quite a bit in looks as well. Her facial expression was very solemn and calm yet friendly at the same time. _She really has this whole Queen thing down, _Zidane thought with amusement. Garnet turned to him and smiled. With that, Steiner bowed and left the room, leaving them alone.

"Zidane," Garnet started with a short sigh. "How have you been? It's been a while since we last talked."

"Yes," Zidance agreed. "Our busy schedules just never seem to match lately, have they?"

"No, not at all," Garney chuckled. "But it seems that I may need your assistance lately. Eiko's sudden visit startled me this morning."

"It's possibly Lindblum, isn't it?" Zidane assumed.

"Probably," Garnet nodded. "There is no other reason why Eiko would be here. By herself to add."

"She came here by herself?" Zidane asked with surprise.

"With some guards, of course," Garnet clarified. "But without Aunt Hilde or Uncle Cid."

"I see," Zidane sighed. "If there's ever a situation when Cid can't leave the palace ... it must be very serious."

"Exactly. That's what's making me worried," Garnet looked away towards the doorway. "Eiko arrived here really early so I asked her to take a rest for now. I asked the maid to send her in just now. That might give us some time."

"Some time?" Zidane repeated.

Garnet slowly faced him again, her expression changing to something sadder. Zidane recognized the expression as something familiar, something he had seen before. Of course, that was the look she used to give him when they were younger. That was also the look she first gave him when they first saw each other after two long years. Her eyes grew deeper and she pouted slightly.

"We ... never talk anymore, do we?" she confirmed. "I was hoping that maybe we could spend more time together?"

"Your majesty," Zidane started. "I'd be more than happy to oblige. Of course, I can't really interfere much anymore. Your position as the queen is really something I've been considering for a while. I just ... don't want to get in the way."

"If it's you, Zidane, you never get in my way. In fact-!" Garnet stopped when the throne room doors opened.

Eiko Carol walked in briskly and daintily. Over the years, she had grown taller and was even competing with Garnet's height. Her violet hair was pulled back in a pair of low pigtails. Her horn had been surgically removed due to the fact that eidolons were no longer summonable. She wore a half-pleated yellow dress with pink trimmings on the pleats and the collar. She wore matching pink earrings and a necklace. Zidane felt a little happier seeing her since the last time he talked to her was during her fifteenth birthday in Lindblum.

"Zidane!" Eiko chimed. "I'm glad you're here!"

"Well, I'm glad to see you!" Zidane said cheerfully. "Her majesty called me in just this morning."

Eiko gave Garnet a teasing look as Zidane said 'her majesty' and quickly faced Zidane once again.

" I hope that you're not too busy today," Eiko said more seriously. "Apparently, I have a huge favor to ask of you."

"What would that be?" Zidane asked.

"I need you ... and Garnet to come to Lindblum today," Eiko answered suddenly. "We're in trouble. We've been having some strange phenomena lately. Our Soul Jewel was stolen the other day, we found a group of guards in the castle. Trapped in a mirror."

Zidane and Garnet looked at each other in confusion.

"A mirror, you said?" Zidane asked.

"At least their souls were trapped in a mirror," Eiko answered. "Their bodies were nowhere to be found."

"Creepy," was all Garnet could find to say. It surprised her that her commoner vocabulary still crept in from time to time.

"It's been happening all week in Lindblum," Eiko continued. "One of our ships was stolen yesterday. Before I left, everything was all right. The guards trapped in the mirror claimed that their bodies were taken out to the south on an island. At least, that's what they heard the perpetrator say. They're not headed here for Alexandria so I assumed that I could ask for your help."

"I could go," Zidane offered. "The queen should stay here just in case."

"That won't be necessary," Garnet countered. "I'll have the guard at high security all over the city. Beatrix and Steiner could take care of things here."

"That works," Eiko nodded. "Personally, I think it will be safer for you to leave just in case something happens here. I don't think that will be the case though."

"Well," Zidane reached back to scratch his neck, "I guess I'll have one of the messengers deliver my draft for me. I'm sure that Ruby will appreciate it if she gets it today."

"Where else have these people gone?" Garnet asked. "Have they hit any other village or town?"

"No," Eiko replied.

"I see," Zidane murmured. "But what's really starting to bother me now is the fact that the jewel is gone."

Eiko looked at him curiously.

"Really?" Eiko inquired cautiously.

"There are a lot of legends about that jewel," he continued. "There was even a play written about it." He scratched his head. "I can't seem to remember the title though."

The three were silent for a while until Garnet clapped her hands together.

"You mean … "The Necromancer"?" Garnet asked.

Eiko looked in the other direction for a moment and thought to herself. Zidane noticed her strange behavior but decided to go against asking what was wrong. He understood that he said something to bother her. Zidane didn't know much about the jewel but of the fact that there were many stories people told of it. The Soul Jewel was believed to be used to revive souls from bodies during ancient times. _Is it possible, _Zidane thought, _that it really has that power?_ He decided to put the thought aside. There was something fishy going on but he kept his mouth shut. Garnet looked at him too; giving him the expression that she was thinking the same thing.

"Well then!" Zidane proclaimed with false enthusiasm, "I guess we should pack lightly and get going."

"Right!" Eiko agreed cheerfully. "Garnet, can I go with you to your room? It's been ages since I got to hang out!"

"Sure!" Garnet chuckled. "Go on ahead!"

"Yay!" Eiko skipped on ahead. Zidane and Garnet waited until she was out of sight before they looked at each other again.

"She's hiding something," Garnet said softly.

"I know that," Zidane replied with an equally low voice. "But she's still Eiko."

"It's strange," Garnet sighed. "I know we should trust her but … it's hard when she won't even confide about the real problem."

"We'll just see how it goes then," Zidane said thoughtfully. "I'm sure that she and Cid have their reasons. However, you and I have to keep this to ourselves."

"Right!" Garnet agreed happily. "I'll do just that!"

"Great!" Zidane felt warm for a moment. It had been a while since they ever shared something secret. "You should head on to your quarters now. I believe that someone is expecting you."

"It's been so long since we all traveled together!" Eiko cheered.

The three were in the middle of the streets in Alexandria. The crowd was large, as usual, and with Garnet in her commoner clothes, she succeeded in the lack of attracting attention. Zidane always marveled at the fact that with just a few changes in wardrobe, no one seemed to care for her. Secretly, he wished she was still in her royal attire so they wouldn't have to push around the others. Still, she was stunning in her simple red shirt and long, brown tartan skirt. Her shoulder length hair was neatly pinned to one side.

Zidane was also a bit hidden with his own change of clothes. It wasn't unusual for him to be recognized in the streets lately. He wore a simple white, long sleeved shirt with a simple vest and simple jeans. His feet were adorned with casual traveling boots. To finish off his outfit, he wore a pair of non prescriptive, shaded spectacles to hide his eyes. They were at the height of fashion so it was not strange for him to walk around with them on.

Eiko was the only one that didn't change clothes. Her presence in Alexandria was rare and the public wasn't aware of what she really looked like anyway. Walking side-by-side with Garnet showed off her true height. Zidane realized that she really was Garnet's height. At her age, she was very slender and willowy yet she possessed the curves to attract other young men. Zidane chuckled to himself at the thought. If it were nine years ago, he would have tried to win her heart if he saw her in that fashion. _Eiko is fifteen now, _Zidane thought. _My, how the years fly._

"Maybe when this whole mess is done and over with," Eiko started to suggest,  
"Maybe we can all hang out here in Alexandria together like this."

"Why Alexandria?" Garnet inquired. "It's a lot more interesting in Lindblum."

"I guess so," Eiko sighed. "But I'm there everyday. It's boring."

"Then maybe we could travel somewhere else," Zidane added. "I miss going to Treno. Ruby and I were planning on recruiting a theater group there to help promote our plays more in the world."

Garnet perked up at the statement.

"You mean, you're both planning on moving to Treno?" she asked slowly.

"Just for a few months to get things started," Zidane answered nonchalantly. "Of course, this is the place to be for plays. It's just that the night life … uh, you know, the life in Treno is expanding. Lately, more and more people are moving there. The arts are becoming a big thing there too."

"Doctor Tot would love that!" Eiko sighed.

"A few months?" Garnet repeated. "You can really start a group in just a few months?"

"Sure!" Zidane replied. "It's really not that hard. We've been getting requests all over the world for our license approval. There's so many aspiring actors too, you know? Treno has an expanding number of them. There are enough people to play parts. Ruby and I just have to go there and monitor the theater and set construction and coach the actors for the first couple shows. That's all there is to it."

"Amazing," Garnet said with awe. "Pretty soon, you'll have your own sort of enterprise."

Zidane's eyes sparkled as he gazed at her.

"Enterprise?" he mimicked. "Aw, I wouldn't exactly call it that."

"I wish I could see you do that," she sighed.

"I can't do that," Zidane answered. "That would be bad if the queen were to be absent for several months."

Immediately, he realized what she meant. Zidane opened his mouth to say something to protest his statement but Garnet cut him off.

"Oh, you're right," she agreed. "It's just … silly."

Again, if it were nine years prior, Zidane would have happily asked her to come along. Zidane thought amusedly of his selfish, yet helpful self. Still, whether or not if she liked the idea, Garnet would have still refused. _Looks like Garnet already grew up a long time ago. Compared to me._ He chuckled again. _I guess it's true. Girls really do mature faster than boys._ With that, Zidane placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's just a thought, Your ma-! I mean, Dagger," he reassured her.

The sound of her former alias made her heart skip a beat. Garnet felt her face flush. It was too long since anyone ever called her by her commoner name. Zidane winked at her and continued on foreward. Garnet giggled and ran after him. Eiko, surprised at their quick change in behavior, quickened her pace.

"Hey, you two! Wait for me!"

Before she could catch up to them, someone grabbed her from behind. Eiko screamed at the harsh action rousing attention from the public. Zidane and Garnet turned around in alarm trying to see what was happening. Eiko was about to cry for help when a gloved hand muffled her screams. Eiko tried to turn around to see who her capturer was but did not have the strength to move. The kidnapper didn't exactly lock her hands but she still felt the resistance. Thoughts ran in her head, trying to realize what was going on as she was in a state of panic and couldn't think clearly. She calmed herself down, and sorted the thoughts in her head. The feeling was familiar … and she remembered being in that state before.

_Magic?_

Eiko concentrated on the sensation. _A time spell … stop? Or maybe a status effect spell. Paralysis?_

"Listen to me, Miss Eiko."

The voice was female. Eiko resisted to flinch and frowned. There was no way she would show that she was scared. Instead, she listened intently. She realized that they were high from the ground already. Obviously, it was a float spell … a powerful one at that.

"You have what I want," the female continued. "Now, if you hand it over slowly-!"

Before the woman could continue, there was a slash in the air. Eiko screamed and plummeted toward the ground. Before long, she was held again … but gentler then before. The sun was in her eyes so she couldn't see the person who held her. All she noticed was the soft cotton of the coat and the glittering gold buttons. The body was hard and tough; obviously that of a man's. She held on to the person tightly as they both landed on the ground on his two feet. He released her.

"Hey you!" his young, yet bass voice called. "I don't know what you're problem is … but you better stop following me!"

Eiko turned around and sighted the young woman who had previously held her captive. She was a tall, pretty thing with short black hair and gleaming green eyes. She wore brown shorts and a strapless, silk white blouse. She sneered back at Eiko and the young man.

"Don't think you can avoid me, Orestes," she spat.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" he argued. "Don't call me names I can't identify with."

The woman glared at him with passion and leaped away on the rooftops. Eiko felt confusion overtake her as she watched the woman steal away. She reached for her pocket and patted herself down. _Still there._ The man placed his hands on her shoulders gently, surprising her.

He towered over her. She observed that he was probably Zidane's height, if not taller. However, he was a lot lankier as his slender build was accentuated with this cotton overcoat. His face was partially covered with this gray, wool knitted collar and was framed with dark hair. What really caught her attention was his gleaming golden eyes. As she gazed at him, the color pierced through her heart as if he could read through her. Because of that, her body shook in fear … in the same way it also shook in immediate trust.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"N-no," Eiko stuttered. "I'm fine. Thank-!"

"Eiko!"

Zidane pushed through the excited crowed and met with her. Garnet followed closely and they watched her with concern expressions. The young man looked at them curiously as if they weren't human. His eyes widened.

"Thank goodness!" Garnet breathed. "I was so worried."

"I'm fine," Eiko repeated with shock still present in her voice.

"Thanks, Mister!" Zidane quickly looked at the young man. "I'm so relieved that you caught up with them on time."

The young man nodded and looked at them carefully. He looked around and then whispered:

"Look, I know you're all in a hurry to go to Lindblum, but can we speak privately for a moment? Perhaps in that back alley over there?"

He pointed to a dark alley where there were no people. Garnet looked at Zidane curiously. Both were immediately suspicious of what was going on. Zidane nodded.

"Right," he said slowly. "Sure, but it won't take long, will it?"

"Of course not!" the man said with pleasantry.

They then followed him towards the dark alley. Zidane, Garnet, and Eiko proceeded through the shadows ahead of him when he suddenly stopped.

"Is something wrong?" Garnet asked.

The man shook his head.

"I think that this would be better explained if I did this slowly," he sighed.

Slowly, he walked in the shading of the dark alley. His eyes were cleary closed and his hands were enclosed in fists. Zidane eyed him suspiciously, watching for any gimmicks or tricks the man might pull. Suddenly, the man's eyes opened, causing a gasp from the two young women. In the darkened alley, his eyes seemed to glow brightly, almost like a firefly in dusk. Zidane shook his head.

"No way, it can't be," Zidane murmured.

"Yes," the young man answered. "It's me. Vivi Ornitier."

AN: Yet another story project! These chapters are pretty long ... but I like the length of them. Please await the next chapter. I hate writing first chapters for specific reasons, you know. Introductions can get annoying sometimes, right? Anyway, All _Final Fantasy IX _characters belong to their respective owners. I'm not intending any profit. Just spreading the love!


	2. The Situation

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Situation

"Vivi?" Zidane repeated with disbelief. "But-!"

"Um," the young man breathed uncomfortably, "this is a little hard to explain."

"It's Vivi," Eiko said simply. "There's not a question about it."

Garnet and Zidane turned to her in surprise as Eiko's eyes glued onto the stranger. Eiko shook her head and pointed to him. Vivi slanted his head to one side with interest as she confirmed her suspicions of him.

"What makes you so sure?" Zidane asked for clarification.

"The speech is the same," Eiko answered. "So are the gestures. They can't exactly be copied to that extent. There are also those eyes. Gold. Just like any other black mage out there. Of course, the mages should have stopped functioning a long time ago. Vivi is supposedly their origin so … it makes sense."

The three looked at Vivi with wonder and he shifted uncomfortably again. It didn't take long for Eiko's justifications to turn out correct. The way his body moved and the air about him was definitely that of Vivi. Of course, the glowing gold eyes should have been a giveaway in the first place. Without another word, they stepped out of the shadows and looked at Vivi with wonder. His full features were now in view of Zidane and Garnet as the sun exposed his peach skin and glistening black hair. Zidane noticed that there was a slight bulge from the sides of his overcoat and immediately identified it with a pair of guns. Vivi scratched the back of his head with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I'm not really good at explaining stuff well so … I thought that was what was needed for you to believe me. But, yes, I am Vivi. Ah-! I know that it's been nine years since we all have seen each other but … apparently I'm not sure what's going on either."

Zidane just gawked at him. Of course, what Vivi just explained didn't quite make much sense. Zidane studied him carefully and fully understood that Vivi was full of confusion. He nodded and could only bring himself to say.

"Wow. You're tall now."

Garnet playfully striked him on the left arm.

"Is that all you can say?" she laughed.

"It's all right," Vivi joined in her laughter. "I never realized I was tall."

Eiko eyed him carefully before extending her hand to him.

"Well … what brings you here to Alexandria?" she asked as she firmly grasped his hand. Vivi blushed.

"Actually, Cid sent me here," he replied. "It's a long story. Why don't we talk it over on the airship?"

"That woman's been following me ever since I left Lindblum," Vivi began.

The four were seated in the cabin of the airship. The room rattled, signaling that they were finally taking off. Zidane leaned back and closed his eyes briefly. It had been a while since he last rode an airship. Still, he found that he was used to riding since he didn't feel at all nauseous. To his surprise, Vivi sat firmly in his seat next to him.

"I came to a few years ago," Vivi continued. "Yesterday, I arrived at Lindblum because I wanted to get a hold of Cid. I've been asleep for several years, apparently. When I was only fifteen, I woke up in my grandfather's cave. I'm not exactly sure how I got there but I was simply … there."

"Strange," Garnet commented. "You have no recollection of anything that passed?"

"Not a thing," Vivi answered. "When I arrived in Treno, that was when I found out of the year and the date. I'd been asleep for six years. I remember everything from my past, including the voyage with you all. But between and now," he paused and looked down at his lap, "I can't remember a thing."

Eiko walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't worry," she sighed. "You're alive, right?"

"True," Vivi confirmed with a smile.

"Then forget it," Eiko grinned. "That's all that matters!"

"Of course," Vivi stood up and stretched his arms. "Anyway, I've missed out on a few things."

Zidane watched him carefully. As Vivi's arms stretched upwards, he noticed that the overcoat briefly flared out and gave him a glimpse of a shining hint of metal. _Just as I suspected._ He thought. _A pair of pistols._

"So, where'd you get those?" Zidane pointed.

Vivi reached for the pistols and pulled them out for everyone to see. Garnet and Zidane didn't move but it caused a jump from Eiko's part. Vivi chuckled, sat down and laid the pair on his lap. Zidane studied them and noticed that one was larger than the other. They were not a pair at all. One was a shiny, silver revolver and the other was a normal automatic handgun. From his observations, they were both locked. Before he could say anything, Zidane widened his eyes as Vivi unstrapped a holster from his thigh. _Well damn, I didn't see that one coming._ It was another handgun; a derringer. Eiko froze in her seat, in fear, as she gazed at the firearms.

"Though the mist is gone, the world's still not exactly a safe place," Vivi began. "And of course, because the mist is gone, I can't exactly use magic anymore. One has to defend himself either way."

"Impressive," Zidane nodded. "And I'm supposing you had three years of practice."

"Yup," Vivi replied, twirling the derringer in his fingers and immediately aiming for the window. No one felt like testing his expertise so he calmly strapped the holster back on his thigh and placed the other guns back where they belonged.

"You're also very dexterous now, aren't you?" Zidane asked with amusement.

"W-well, I wouldn't exactly say _that_," Vivi chuckled nervously. "Well, I guess if you put it that way …-"

Vivi finished putting away his equipment and sighed. The other three gazed at him curiously. No matter how much he grew over the years, Vivi was still Vivi. Though it was impossible he was still alive, there was a feeling of relief that he was. Vivi stood up again and walked towards Eiko. Eiko gazed at him with curiosity as he took a seat next to her on the large sofa. She widened her eyes for a slight moment at the sudden action and Garnet noted the girl's reaction. _How strange. Am I imagining things?_ Garnet wondered. _Eiko's been strange this morning. Of course, I can't exactly say what happened is part of everyday life. _Eiko finally smiled as Vivi turned to her.

"I'm happy," Eiko started, "that you're alive, Vivi."

"I guess it's great," Vivi agreed. "To be honest, I'm still a little bewildered about the whole thing."

"Bewildered?" Eiko repeated. "In what kind of way?"

Vivi thought for a moment before answering.

"I mean, I feel sort of strange. Like … a little uneasy. Ever since I woke up, I feel … alive for the first time in my life."

Eiko's eyes shifted forward as he said this. It was Zidane's turn to notice. Before he could make any silent justifications, Eiko smiled.

"I see," she said.

"Still, I wonder," Vivi continued.

"What is it?" Eiko asked.

"I wonder … what if I was alive all this time and just simply lost my memory. Really, I wonder," Vivi said thoughtfully.

"Well, like I said Vivi, it doesn't really matter!" Eiko's cheerfulness recovered. "Maybe we'll find out someday! I'm sure! But you might as well live your life since you know you're alive, right?"

Garnet turned to Zidane with a worried look on her face. Zidane faced the other two.

"Eiko's right," he said with enthusiasm. "But right now, we have a completely different matter in our hands."

"Yes, let's get back to that," Garnet agreed.

"I heard from Cid when I reached Lindblum," Vivi said. "This really is a serious case."

"It's kind of odd," Zidane began. "This is obviously the work of magic. There's no way that magic is even possible anymore."

"Right: the Iifa Tree no longer produces any mist," Vivi added. "When I came to, my magic couldn't even last a year. Without the mist, there is no magic."

They were silent for a moment until Garnet suggested:

"Then what if there's another source for magic?"

Zidane lifted a brow as she said that. Garnet never failed to hit the mark. Of course, she was right, magic must not have been limited to the Iifa Tree. Ancient civilizations must have used magic far before the tree ever took root on Gaia. His mind shifted to the stolen Soul Jewel again and "necromancy" overtook his thoughts. Surely there was a time when the practice existed. Of course, in the modern day and age, no one would ever approve of it. Necromancy wasn't just "black" magic after all. It was "dark" magic.

"Whatever it is," Zidane added, "it's considered evil magic."

Eiko's attentions shifted to his statement. Her eyes shined brightly.

"Exactly," she chirped. "This new sort of magic is different. I can't even believe that it exists."

Garnet shook her head.

"No, of course it shouldn't exist. It's not even supposed to be possible. There's no creature on earth that could ever have the will power to manipulate souls so easily. Sure, there are drugs and such … but that's different," she explained. "This is magic that can extract souls of both the living … and the dead … without consent of the victim."

"Which is why it's illegal," Zidane brought up. "We might as well call it magic of the lower realm."

"That explains the mirrors," Eiko said.

"Oh yes, you're right," Garnet remembered. "You mentioned that the souls of the soldiers were trapped in mirrors. What did you do with them?"

Eiko thought for a moment.

"We kept them in a safe place. Apparently, we can feed them if we place them in front of the dining room when there's food on the table. So, we had someone take a photograph of the dining room so that there will always be food for them to eat," she answered. "It's scary to look at though. You always see a reflection of someone, but there's no one beside you."

"I can imagine so," Vivi nodded. "But their bodies are safe and sound?"

"Hopefully," Eiko sighed hopelessly. "I feel horrible looking at them."

"Anyone would," Vivi piped up. "It must be sad too be living like that."

"That does conclude something," Garnet said.

"What would that be?" Zidane asked.

"The theories of a world beyond the mirror … are correct," Garnet rubbed her chin slightly with her index finger and thumb. "Scientists have been trying to figure out if there's a mirror world for centuries. Ironically, it was magic that proved so."

"A mirror world …1" Zidane murmured. "That's definitely interesting. If Gaia and Terra could coexist, it's perfectly possible that there are many worlds that exist. Perhaps the mirror world is the easiest one to see with the naked eye. It kind of reminds me of some books I've read. It's strange how fiction is."

The ship rumbled again. Garnet stood up and looked out one of the windows and noted the airship gate of Lindblum. She turned to the others and signaled with a wave that they were already there. Eiko stood up and headed for the door.

"I'm heading towards the bridge so we'll pass customs with ease," she said. "When we dock, feel free to look around town. Cid isn't expecting you until evening anyway."

"I'll go with you," Vivi suggested. "He's expecting me once we arrive."

Eiko nodded and beckoned him to go with her. They exited the room, leaving Garnet and Zidane sitting across from each other on the couch. Zidane let out a breath of air as the door closed shut and Garnet watched him with amusement. His tail wagged back and forth with slight anxiety. The motions of the alien body part never failed to catch her attention. Sometimes, she was even tempted to grab it. Still, it felt as if doing so was forbidden since animals scurried away when their tails were touched.

"So, we're alone now," Zidane said with a tired voice.

"Yes," Garnet replied. "I guess we are."

They were silent again for a few moments and simply gazed at each other. Garnet pulled her hair back with slight boredom. She noticed that the ship was rumbling more and more, giving them the sign that they were finally docking. She let go of her hair inspected Zidane's expression more carefully.

"How does this all look to you?" she finally asked.

"I'm not quite sure," Zidane answered with another sigh. "To be honest, I don't even know what to think of all this."

"Did you notice anything strange?" Garnet inquired.

"Strange?" Zidane's lips curved into a grin. Garnet grinned back.

"Be serious!" she scolded playfully.

"Sorry," he chuckled. "It's just that I don't want to make any assumptions. I just hope we're only imagining it."

"If both of us suspect the same thing, it's a low chance that we're imagining it," Garnet said with a more serious tone. "To be frank, part of me wants nothing to do with this."

"You feel that too?" Zidane asked with interest. The boredom in his voice disappeared. "Then I feel less guilty about all this."

"What are we going to do?" Garnet asked. "Just go with it?"

"We don't have a choice, Your Majesty," Zidane shook his head with annoyance. "We're obviously in the dark but it's not like we can do anything about it."

"That woman too," Garnet reminded him. "Obviously, she was looking for Eiko."

"Vivi too," Zidane added. "Which means that they're both connected to this whole mess somehow."

"Eiko seemed to be expecting to be attacked," Garnet thought aloud. "Usually, she'd be freaked out or something."

Zidane placed his face in his hands and growled. Garnet felt the same pain he was feeling and decided not to press anymore of the situation. The rumbling finally stopped. They were then fully docked. Garnet stood up and stretched. Then, she extended her hand to him. Zidane took it and she pulled him up to to his feet. Once again, they grinned at each other, glad that they still had that sense of understanding. Garnet lead the way and they headed towards the door Vivi and Eiko formally used with their hands still intertwined. Garnet gently pulled him, commanding his lazy body to follow.

"Well, we might as well enjoy the sights," Zidane chuckled.

"It's been years since I last roamed the streets," Garnet said with amusement.

AN: Another chapter up! I'm aiming for a chapter a day so … stay tuned. Disclaimers from the first chapter apply. Also, for upcoming chapters, I will add that _The Libation Bearers _is originally a play by Aeschylus. If you're a mythology buff, you'll understand the story a little better. If not, it'll still be explained and you'll be more enlightened (I suppose). Not to spoil anything though … but the Euripdes version of the same play is involved too. I also give credit to Lewis Carroll for _Through the Looking Glass _just to be on the safe side. I can't tell you _why _exactly I'm crediting these (yet) but … you'll find out.

Coming up: A lighter chapter! What's cooking in Lindblum?


	3. The Conflict

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Conflict

Like Alexandria, Lindblum changed over the years. If one thought Alexandria was impressive, Lindblum was a far cry ahead in its new embellishments. The city had expanded greatly over the years since more and more people kept moving in from nearby villages. The streets were widened and highways were built for the autobuggies that more and more people started taking ownership of. Viewing screens were placed all over the street corners and broadcasts were more than just a daily treat for people to see. Still, airships were better portrayed and the steamed zeppelins were recreated to be smaller. Many buildings were twice their size from ten years ago if not triple.

Zidane and Garnet stared in awe at the new amenities of the city. Garnet remembered that it had been years since she was able to freely roam the city on her own. Most of the time, she was there for business reasons and could not venture further than the palace. The streets were bustling full of buggies at full speed. Honking sounds were heard from every direction, almost putting the two adults in a frenzy of chaos. The sidewalks, luckily, were empty. Zidane, too, had only visited the city on business terms, mostly on a theater ship. He, too, was unfamiliar with the new look of Lindblum.

Garnet squeezed his hand tightly, reminding him that they were still holding hands. The heat rose to his cheeks and a few people started looking in their direction with gently expressions on their faces. He sighed of relief that with his shaded spectacles and Garnet's commoner clothes, they weren't recognized at all. In fact, many people on the streets were dressed in a similar manner. _If Vivi and Eiko were with us, we'd definitely catch attention_ he thought to himself as he remembered the two teenagers' formal attire. Vivi was lucky that his overcoat hid the guns. Normally, people didn't carry any weapons unless they were soldiers or night guards.

"It's so … pretty," Garnet said in awe. "The new buildings and all."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Zidane asked. "Too bad Eiko's not here to give us a tour."

"And she said this wasn't interesting!" Garnet recalled. "The sights around here are almost limitless!"

"I do understand what she means though," Zidane laughed. "Alexandria's still a lot more quieter and elegant."

"I guess," Garnet agreed.

"It's all thanks to our lovely queen, eh Dagger?" he grinned.

"Oh, stop that," Garnet smiled and swung his arm forward.

Their hands were still interlocked. Zidane chuckled at her strange, sudden clinginess.

"You know, you're not obliged to hold me hand," he pointed out.

"I …-!" Garnet started to blush, "Well … just let me do so, okay? It's not like we do this everyday, right?"

That surprised him.

"Dagger …-" he breathed.

"Um, for today," Garnet looked at him with a soft smile, "don't let go okay?"

The request caught him off guard. Garnet noticed that his ears were turning pink and his tail froze as it stuck straight out. He looked at her sadly with a smile, realizing that even though he lived in the palace for several years, they had been too busy conducting their jobs. The last time they ever held each other might have been back in the time Zidane returned to Alexandria. He suddenly felt guilty that he strayed away from her for too long. Still, he understood that he had to know his limits. She was at a very high position and he knew that one day, he could no longer interfere. Garnet was at an age when she'd be married. The throne needed a royal heir, after all. Neither of them wanted to talk about it. It was just something that they understood.

_But just for today …_

"Of course I won't," he finally answered. "Plus, I don't want either of us to get lost."

Garnet laughed.

"What? The famous Zidane? The expert adventurer?" she teased.

"_Former_ adventurer," he corrected. "And to be frank: a thief, which I'm happy to admit I no longer am."

"Really?" Garnet grinned. "I thought it was rather cute."

"Whatever you say," Zidane sighed. "But it's been a while since I did any adventuring. It's also been a while since I ever got to explore this place. I have a distinct feeling that we'll still get lost no matter what we do."

"For some reason, I won't mind too much," Garnet giggled.

Zidane laughed with her until his stomach growled with impatience. They stopped laughing for a second but couldn't help but start up again. They realized that it was noon and neither had had a decent breakfast back at Alexandria.

"Oh damn," Zidane realized, "I'm starving! Do you know a good place to grab some grub?"

Garnet shook her head.

"Hell if I know," she said. "I usually just ate at the palace."

Usually, if anyone heard her vulgar language, they would have cringed. Zidane had grown used to it when they traveled in the past so it didn't push him too much. Garnet loved to be dressed as a commoner. It meant she wasn't forced to act ladylike. That aspect alone also helped her cover.

"Cute," Zidane grumbled.

"Sorry," Garnet apologized. "It just slipped out."

"God, I must be starting to influence you again," he sighed hopelessly with a sparkle in this blue eyes.

"I think you did permanent damage nine years ago," Garnet said pleasantly.

_Why the hell is she cuter and more mature at the same time?_

"Anyway," Zidane pressed on, focusing on his stomach again, "I'm hungry."

"Me too," Garnet laughed. "Let's find a restaurant or something. Perhaps something cheap."

"I wonder why we couldn't just go directly to the palace with Eiko and Vivi," Zidane grumbled. "Anything there is a lot better."

Garnet shrugged and that reminded him of their conflict a few moments ago. She looked at Zidane with a serious look.

"More reason to think their hiding something," she whispered.

"Of course," Zidane said calmly. "Of course."

Garnet started tugging on his arm again making him stumble forward. She laughed again.

"Oh, forget it! Let's go find something to eat!"

Zidane grumbled happily and matched her anticipated pace. The crowd wasn't too bad since most people were either in the cable train or driving. In fact, there were few walkers. Zidane figured that the reason was because it was in the middle of the week and that people were working. The children were also in school that during those hours. There was, however, traffic. For once, Zidane was glad he wasn't riding an autobuggy. It was nice to walk freely, after all. They walked down the street and looked around. There were many small shops and large shopping malls open to catch their interest. Garnet briefly peeked in at a few window displays they passed. Because she was female, clothes always interested her. Zidane was no exception and several bookstores caught his eye. Still, they focused on finding an eatery to satisfy their appetite.

"Oh look!" Garnet stopped walking and they turned to a small café. "Um, this looks good."

"I'll eat anything," Zidane agreed. He sniffed the air. "It sure smells good!"

"I wonder what's cooking," Garnet wondered curiously. "Let's just eat here."

"No complaints here," Zidane hungrily.

They entered the quaint restaurant and looked around. The floor was checkered black and white and the walls were painted maroon. The lights were low and dim with the tables only lit with lanterns. On the whole, the café was dark, but it fit the mood. A small lady nodded at their entrance from the counter, and walked over to them to welcome them.

"Two?" she asked.

"Yes," Zidane confirmed.

The lady looked at their hands and smiled.

"Oh, I see. Then that's a twenty percent discount!" she giggled. "How cute! Our first couple today!"

It was good that the lights were dim since both blushed a deep shade of red. Zidane was tempted to correct the lady but … it would have been a shame to pass the reduced price.

"Really?" Garnet asked, trying to compose her flustered self.

"Yes," the lady beamed. "Every Wednesday, we give discounts to all pair of people. Obviously, you're a pair. Since you're both the only ones here, might I suggest the corner? It's more private there and it's specifically secluded for couples."

"Uh … sure," Zidane said awkwardly.

The lady lead them to the dark corner of the café. Garnet noticed that the table was a fair distance away from the other tables assuring definite privacy. The chairs were slightly different than the others since they were cushioned. The table was also shaped differently since it was the only one that was square. She looked at Zidane and they silently agreed to take the table.

"Now, what can I get you two?" the lady asked.

"Um … the smell coming out of the restaurant …-" Zidane asked, " … what was that?"

"Oh? That's our famous steak curry and rice," the lady answered.

"I'd like to try that," Zidane said, mouth starting to water.

"I'll try it too," Garnet replied.

"Of course! It comes with some spice bread and an unlimited glass of lemonade!" the lady smiled.

"Sounds good," the two replied in unison.

"Then I'll be right back!"

The lady left them alone. Garnet picked up the salt shaker with her free hand and proceeded to play with it. Lately, it was a bad habit of hers to play with whatever was around her. Still, sitting on the throne or at her desk all the time was a bore. Zidane watched her, still noting that she hadn't let go of his hand. Surprisingly, her hand wasn't sweaty so he didn't feel he had to let go of it. For some reason, it had grown comforting. Letting go seemed almost inhuman at that point. Garnet carefully poked at the salt shaker, making it shift forward due to momentum.

"A couple, huh?" she sighed. "Doesn't that tickle your fancy?"

Alarmed, Zidane faced her frantically.

"I'm not sure," he said thoughtfully. "What do you think?"

Garnet sighed and continued playing with her "toy". Though she didn't change her expression, he could tell she was uneasy about something.

"I … I … my feelings since then," she said softly, "haven't changed."

Those were the words he wished he'd never hear her say. Zidane painfully looked away since he swore he felt tears rising in his eyes. With his free hand, he covered his mouth as if to muffle the prospective sobs. Part of him was happy but the other part was cautious. He had to mentally remind himself again of her position. The day was already being hard on him ever since he was called to the throne room that morning. Hearing her say those words officially knocked over his rationality. The fact that it was being tested was bad enough. The fact that the familiar feeling of temptation from his youth rising again was out of the question.

"Dagger," he toned carefully, "Sorry, but please try to understand."

Knowing exactly what he meant, she looked at him with a hurt look in her eyes. He was right. Damn it, he was right! Zidane was always right.

"Nevermind," she said with a forced smile.

Whenever they came close to touching the conversation, it always ended like that. Garnet knew that she hurt him whenever she started the topic. Over the years, it came up rarer and rarer. She couldn't think of the last time they talked about it. They were both twenty-five years old. No matter how sweet the past was, they were plummeting into the future; whether they liked it or not. Of course, it angered her that he never directly answered her. If he was the same sixteen-year-old, he would have frankly told her how he felt. Obviously, they weren't sixteen anymore. They were adults, after all and as adults, they had specific duties to carry out. Hers happened to be very important to a certain kingdom.

Trying not to make the situation more awkward than it already was, Zidane smiled at her reassuringly and grasped her hand tightly. He picked up the pepper shaker and pushed it towards the salt. The two clinked when they intercepted. Garnet laughed a small laugh.

"Whatever happens, Dagger," Zidane said thoughtfully, "everything's going to be all right."

"Of course," Dagger giggled. "I have faith in you."

The lady came back with the plates of curry and another waiter gave them their bread and lemonade. Zidane sighed of relief knowing the wonderful smell was finally right in front of him. Garnet felt her stomach rumble with anticipation as the food was placed on the table. The lady and the waiter bowed.

"Please enjoy your meal!" the lady smiled she and the waiter walked away. Zidane grinned towards Garnet.

"It's about time!" he exclaimed happily.

"Finally!" Garnet lifted her fork. "Let's dig in."

Soon, all thoughts of their previous conversation dissipated and they heartily ate their meal.

In the Palace of Lindblum, Eiko and Vivi walked side to side through the main hallway. Eiko eyed him carefully, studying his features. There was something strange about him that hit her. Though his speech and gestures were the same, there was something about the way he handled himself. She watched him as he silently walked beside were and noticed that there was a flow and grace to the way he walked. It was as if he was more comfortable with his body. It was something that overtook the idea of puberty. Of course, she didn't dismiss the idea that she was imagining things so she pushed the ideas in the back of her mind … keeping the memo locked in.

"Wow, you've really grown, Miss Eiko!" Vivi suddenly exclaimed. The way he said "miss" made her heart skip a beat. She turned to him with a serious look on her face.

"Vivi, please drop the 'miss'," Eiko sighed, containing her coming blush, "It's kind of weird."

"Sorry," he quickly apologized. "I just wasn't sure."

"No, it's all right. We're friends. It's just weird that we're all formal," she explained. A laugh suddenly escaped her lips. "Gosh! Even though it's been years since we last talked, I feel as if you were never gone!"

They were quiet again and the throne room was no more than twenty paces away. Eiko reached up and checked to see if her ties of her pigtails were even. Then, she felt for the clasp of her necklace to make sure it was still in the back of her neck. She hurriedly fixed its position and brought it back to where it was supposed to be. Finally, she looked down at the skirt of her yellow dress and made sure the pleats weren't wrinkled. Even though she was part of the family, it was still an instinct for her to make sure she looked decent at all times. She looked ahead and say that there was no guard outside the doors of the throne room. Obviously, that meant Cid was still busy talking to someone else.

"Umm, you've really grown a lot taller," Vivi added. "How tall are you now?" he asked as they stopped in front of the doors.

"About Garnet's height," she replied stiffly, surprised with all the questions. _Stupid, don't be a jerk! He hasn't seen any of us in years! Of course, he's curious! Stop acting like he's retarted or something!_

"I see," Vivi grinned. "And I also see that you've grown your hair out too. It suits you," he commented.

Eiko felt the heat rise to her cheeks, not sure if it was from annoyance or flattery. She busily, silently prayed that her face wasn't red like a tomato. In fact, it was, and Vivi decided that he might have stepped too far.

"Thank you," Eiko answered softly.

"I'm sorry!" Vivi countered. "It's just … you know … I haven't seen you for a long time. I'm just … surprised. That's all."

"No! No need to apologize!" Eiko chuckled nervously. "I'm just … surprised … as well."

Before Vivi could ask her why, the doors suddenly opened and a guard stepped out. He was partially surprised that they were waiting already so he slightly flinched. He bowed in front of Eiko and Vivi.

"H-his gracious is awaiting your audience," he stammered. "P-please! Come in!"

Without another word, the two looked at each other briefly and walked in. Vivi had only been there the previous night but he didn't get the chance to observe the beauty of the renovated room. The stone walls were still present but the floor had new tiling and the red carpet had been replaced with that of royal purple. There was new furnishing in the corners of the room and he spotted a few cameras (just in case the regent had to broadcast something) in the sides. Large, glass painted windows allowed colorful lights to seep in, making the large room seem lively and friendly to the eye. Vivi gazed in awe of the beauty and slowly followed after Eiko as he took in the gorgeous look room.

When they both reached the very front of the throne, they simultaneously bowed in front of the regent. Cid nodded and waved his hand so they could stand at ease.

"Eiko! Vivi!" he exclaimed. "It's good to see you again. Vivi, I hope we could talk more. I'm sorry for our brief meeting yesterday, but as you can see, we're having quite a bit of an emergency. Thank you for assuring my daughter's safety."

"Y-yes sir!" Vivi said, flustered. "I'm glad I was of service!"

"And as for you, young lady-!"

"Zidane and Garnet are here!" Eiko answered quickly. "They're somewhere in the city as we speak."

Cid nodded and looked at Vivi.

"I'm sorry I sent you so early in the morning, my dear," Cid continued. "You must be tired."

"N-not at all!" Eiko replied sheepishly. "I didn't mind at all!"

Her surrogate father laughed and gave a friendly look at the former black mage. Vivi looked back at him curiously but didn't make any notion to ask any questions. Cid stood up and slowly walked closer to them. He carefully studied Vivi and took note of the young man's height. Seeming impressed, he chuckled.

"Then please take a break until this evening, young ones," he concluded. "Eiko, dear, if you don't mind, why don't you show Vivi around a bit … if you're not too tired."

"Oh, not at all!" Eiko furiously shook her head. "I'd be more than happy to … father."

With a final nod, Cid stepped backwards to his seat.

"Then, Vivi, if you could wait for a few moments, Eiko will meet you back at the entrance near the water fountain," he said.

Vivi gave one small nod and bowed before the two. The guard waited patiently for him and they finally left the throne room. Eiko turned back to the regent, already knowing what he wanted to talk to her about.

"Father," she said softly. "I don't know."

"What's the matter, dear?" Cid asked.

"I feel … really bad asking for their help like this," Eiko said slowly. "Garnet's almost like a sister. She's you're niece! We've never kept anything from her! "

Cid looked away in pain.

"I know, my dear," he answered. "But you know what might happen if she finds out about it now. There's no hope for us. If she knows what's going on, we could be putting Alexandria in danger as well."

"I know," Eiko interrupted. She looked at him in the eye. "But have you found a way to free them?"

"Not yet," he said with worry. "And believe me; I feel I've failed them."

Eiko wildly shook her head.

"No! There's still hope!" she countered. "I'm sure that you'll find a way!"

He smiled and beckoned her to come closer. Eiko did as she was motioned to do and sat on the armrest of his thone. He placed a hand on hers.

"Thank you, my dear Eiko," he smiled. "You're right. But the jewel has been stolen by the girl, did you confirm it?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yes, I made contact with her today. Thank goodness Vivi's a quick one!"

Cid frowned.

"Eiko," he whispered, "did you notice it?"

Eiko felt her throat become sore and she swallowed nervously. It was as if there was a huge amount of bile in the back of her throat since guilt seemed to build up in her.

"Yes," she finally answered, "according to the warrent, he fits the description. That woman also addressed him as 'Orestes'. Finally, his movements and the way he handles his body … I was going to talk to you about it but he came with me here. It took me by surprise when I saw him, but I saw it right away."

Cid coughed and bit his lip. Eiko could tell that there were tears forming in his eyes and he began to sob.

"Oh my god, I just talked to him yesterday," he choked. "But it fit the description she left."

"You mean Cly-!" Eiko began.

"We can't do it now," Cid interrupted. "Not until … we're really _sure_."

"Father!" she countered. "You know what it means if he lives, right?"

"Eiko!" he gaped at her in horror. "I know you're worried about the kingdom, but you have to realize that sacrifice is viewed differently here. We're not like _them._ We're not just going to allow that!"

"I know! But his mere existence is an abomination! It's … not right!" she cried.

Eiko realized that tears were coming out of her own eyes and, she too, was beginning to sob uncontrollably. She covered her face in her hands and tried hard to regain her composure.

"Eiko, dear," he cooed, "we still don't have legitimate proof. We still have time-!"

"How much?" Eiko interrupted. "How much time until our doom?"

"Six months," he answered. "Please, at least give him six months!"

A half an hour later, Eiko confronted Vivi in front of the water fountain. He smiled when she encountered him. Eiko looked down to see that he was reading a book. His backpack sat next to him as well. _He must have retrieved his bookbag while waiting for me, _she thought to herself. Curiously, she looked down to try to see what he immersing himself in.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

"_Atreus,"_ He replied. "It's kind of creepy. It's about a man, named Atreus, who kills his nephews and serves them to their father."

"Gross," Eiko wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Agreed," Vivi closed the book and put it in the bag. "The sons take revenge on their father and kill Atreus."

"Why did Atreus do that in the first place?" Eiko asked.

"Because his wife had an affair with his twin brother," he replied calmly. "It's somewhat sick either way."

They both laughed. Eiko took a seat next to him and then glanced at his backpack. She then noticed that he no longer had his weapons equipped and immediately inferred they he packed them away in his bag.

"At least you're not walking around with your weapons," she sighed of relief.

"Yeah," Vivi nodded. "I would've scared people on the streets right?"

"Zidane and Garnet are unarmed," Eiko stated. "But it seems that they'll have to travel with some weapons pretty soon. Tomorrow, we're going back to Alexandria." She chuckled. "I haven't traveled all over the place in a while."

"I'm sure," Vivi said. "It'll be like old times again, won't it?"

"Yes," Eiko said with a nod. "Isn't that great?"

"Yes," Vivi replied.

Eiko jumped up and grabbed his hand. It surprised him a little but he calmly looked up at her.

"That's right!" she exclaimed. "I owe you a tour! C'mon!"

With that, Vivi smiled and stood up beside her. She grabbed his wrist that time and dragged him along after her. Eiko looked back at him happily but in her mind, she felt sad. Her heart skipped a beat when they were linked like and she felt a pang of guilt with him smiling back at her.

_I guess … he still has some time left after all … to be happy like this._

Back at the café, Zidane took the last bite of his curry as Garnet took one last sip at her lemonade. It was a little funny that, as a girl, she finished her food first. She watched as Zidane carefully swallowed the last of his food and flushed it down with his drink.

"All done!" he replied. He turned around. "Miss? Could you please bring the bill?"

Garnet laughed. Some things never changed.

"Oh, Zidane!" she sighed. "You're always so lively."

"Me?" Zidane flashed a toothy grin after patting his face with a napkin.

"Yes, you," Garnet giggled. "But I'm glad."

"Then, that's good," he replied. The bill was handed to him and he shoved his hand in his pocket for his wallet. He fished it out and opened it for the gil needed to pay for their meal. "Hey, not bad! Not bad at all! This is why I love local places!" He winked at Garnet. "Not at all pricey! Very cheap!"

"Heh," Garnet breathed with amusement. She lost her breath for a second when he finally let go of her hand.

"I'll be back. Gotta pay this bad boy!" he stood up and quickly walked to the counter where the lady immediately greeted him.

Garnet waited for him patiently. She started to think about their failed conversation. She then thought about why they were in Lindblum in the first place. Garnet then realized that she was thankful they were summoned there. Otherwise, she would have never had that day with him. She watched Zidane cheerfully hand his money over to the lady and then quickly coming back to the table where she was waiting.

"All done?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered with a smile.

"Then let's get going!" he said and he offered his hand back to her.

Garnet gladly took it and they walked out of the café; hand in hand. She narrowed her eyes as they exposed themselves back into the sunlight. Like the rays of light, she suddenly felt a ray of hope within her.

_I guess … I have some time left after all … to be with him like this._

AN: Wow. This has to be longer than the other two but it took the least amount of time to write. Mythology buffs, I hope you're all paying close attention (to the foreshadowing)! For the non-mythology buffs, I still hope you're enjoying the story and I didn't make Atreus up! That's also Greek mythology.

Standard disclaimers (endnotes chapters one and two) apply. All characters belong to their rightful owners! I'm not profiting from this at all! Just spreading the love!


	4. The Mission

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Mission

Evening came. Zidane, Garnet, Eiko and Vivi stood solemnly in front of Cid in the throne room. Because it was already nightfall, the room was less luminous than it was during the daytime. The new electric lights took place of the bright sun and completely lit the area. Zidane took off his shaded spectacles and they were clipped on to his back jean pocket. Normally, Garnet would have changed to something formal, but due to the situation, she remained in her casual attire. Unsurprisingly, Vivi and Eiko were wearing the same clothes. Garnet wondered to herself if Vivi even possessed anything else to wear.

"Well, I'm glad we're all assembled here," Cid spoke out. "As you can see, we have a very dire situation here. It's quite strange that these events have happened but what we're trying to do now is decide on a plan."

Zidane eyed Garnet while she eyed him back. As if to read his mind, Garnet thought to herself: _I guess we should see what Uncle Cid's actually planning to tell us._

"The mirrors are coming in, as you can see," Eiko announced when the large doors opened.

The all turned around and watched as the attendents rolled in four large, covered mirrors. Though they were ordinary looking mirrors, Garnet felt a shiver down her spine, almost scared of what she was about to see. She bit her lip to prevent any panic that might arise in her. Her hands tightened in fists as well to regain her composure. Zidane appeared calm, as usual, but he too was frightened of what was beyond the mirrors. Before long, the mirrors were facing directly towards the four and the throne. At the same time, the attendants pulled the covers off causing a gasp from Zidane, Garnet, and Vivi.

"Oh my god," Garnet whispered.

The five were reflected but there were soldiers standing around them. Of course, the soldiers were not with them there. It was just as Eiko described: creepy. In fact, Eiko couldn't resist the urge to look away from the soldiers. Garnet noticed that they looked at the young girl sadly with concern when she turned away from them. Unlike Eiko, Garnet was used to see disturbing phenomena since many strange people and creatures had been presented over the years. Usually, it was disgusting but this instance wasn't. It was just strange … and terrifying. She kept her composure and stood still while Zidane boldly walked up to the mirrors and carefully looked in. He waved to the people there and, with friendly smiles, they all waved back. It was definitely obvious that they could see them from the other side.

"Holy … -!" He gasped and turned back to Eiko. "Can they hear us?"

"Yes," Eiko nodded. "They can talk to us sometimes, but it's very muffled and incoherent. Usually, when we communicate, we just reflect something for them to write with and they spell it out."

Garnet walked towards to Zidane and stood next to him. Her fear subsided and curiosity took over. She reached out to touch the glass but the soldiers didn't flinch. They all smiled sadly at her attempt. Garnet brought her fingers to her chin again and pondered on the thought.

"It's more like a window," she observed. "It's not like a mirror at all."

"A window?" Vivi asked.

"Yes, apparently, it's like a window," Garnet explained. "You know, those double sided mirrors? One side is a mirror while the other side is a window? Tinted windows? Apparently, this is working the same way … but here, we can see what's going on from behind the window." She looked at her reflection and pushed her hair back. "If this was really a mirror, don't you think they could somehow react with our reflections?"

Vivi took his turn to step closer to the mirrors and look in. Experimentally, he waved his hand a bit while his reflection did the same. Like Garnet, he then reached out to touch the soldiers, but they didn't seem offended or touched at all. He looked at Garnet.

"You're right," he finally said. "They're definitely windows … yet in some sense they're still mirrors. However, it's more like you can change their scenery depending on the background." He turned to Cid. "Sir, can I try something?"

Cid nodded.

"What are you going to do?" Eiko asked.

"First, let's stand here behind the mirrors," Vivi suggested. The five walked behind the mirrors and waited for the next step. Vivi continued, "Now, I need the mirrors turned around as fast as possible."

The attendants scurried over back to the mirrors and wheeled them around 180 degrees. Strange enough, the background of the throne was still there. However, it soon faded and changed to the back of the throne room. The soldiers remained solid along with the five in the real world.

"Well, your majesty," Zidane beamed. "I guess you're theory is right after all!"

"I guess it did," Garnet smiled. "Thank you, Vivi."

"No problem," Vivi said with a curt nod. "As you can see, these mirrors aren't perfect. They don't reflect unanimated objects very well … yet humans are perfectly reflected."

"It seems," Garnet said thoughtfully, "they reflect souls, and only souls."

"Which comes back to the theft of the Soul Jewel," Zidane added. "Apparently, like the magic mirrors from fairy tales, these work the same way. We are able to talk to them and communicate with them … yet we aren't in full physical contact. Ever heard the story of Snow White?" the others nodded and he kept going. "Right. The queen had a magic mirror with a face that had ultimate knowledge. Judging from that, he was a soul trapped in a mirror. Obviously, he could see things the queen couldn't. It's quite possible these guys can see things we can't. Like Garnet's tinted mirror idea, usually the people looking into the mirror can't see what's going on inside like the people looking out from the window side."

Eiko gaped in awe at the quick resolutions. Garnet and Zidane were well read, after all. Vivi's curiosity always captured the best of him. She was slightly jealous that she couldn't see it before. Of course, she was the youngest girl in the room. Impressed she walked closer to the mirror.

"Do you think it's possible," she started to ask, "that they can see _through _us?"

The other four shrugged.

"That's an interesting question," Zidane murmured. Garnet could sense the slight sound of suspicion his voice.

"Shouldn't we … ask them?" Garnet suggested. She turned directly to the soldiers. "Can you do as she asked?"

They all nodded and looked at each other sadly. Zidane and Garnet noticed that the expression of some was uneasy and some looked down to the floor.

"We … but … can't … anything," came a muffled sound from one of the mirrors.

Vivi flinched slightly in surprise at the sudden voice. The soldier that spoke looked at him, again, with sadness on his face. Eiko felt tears in her eyes as she watched them struggle to speak to them. However, there was a strange, and almost wicked sense of relief in her. Perhaps it was an ancient rule of the magic: don't ask, don't tell.

"I see," Zidane sighed. "Well then … Eiko mentioned about their bodies being taken away to an island south of the continent," he began. "But south of _what _part of the continent?"

"That is what we came here to talk about," Cid finally spoke up. The four turned to him. He then nodded his head towards the attendants and the mirrors were covered and pushed back out of the room. "Apparently, the intruder was talking with an accomplice about and these men heard them explaining that they would be taken to an island south of this continent. Apparently, I have not a clue where it is either."

Garnet dug in her purse and pulled out her datebook. Inside was a miniature map. She carefully looked at it and brought her index finger to the page. She slowly studied the continent they lived in and skimmed her finger along the south border.

"Well, there are a few islands south from the central part of the continent and there's a one from the south east," she explained. "Those are three total possibilities."

"Most likely, we've sailed passed them, then," Cid said gruffly. "If it's only three, then that can't be too hard."

"But are they really there?" Vivi suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Garnet replied.

"How do we know that's not just a rendezvous point?" Vivi answered questionably. "There are so many places where they could meet."

"True," Zidane replied. "But it's a start, right?" He looked at Cid affirmatively. "I'm hoping you'll lend us an airship for awhile, sir?"

"Why, of course," Cid replied, half surprised that the young man was so willing to get on the case. "Yes, I have a small air vessel for you. It's our newest design and can even be used as a boat."

"T-that new one?" Eiko exclaimed with excitement. She jumped and ran beside Cid. "Are you serious! I can drive it?"

"_Zidane_ can drive it," Cid corrected with a firm grin. "And I'm expecting _Zidane_ will be a wonderful pilot for the time being."

Eiko was about to argue but stopped when Vivi began about to speak.

"Then, we'll be glad to help, sir," Vivi stated solemnly.

The four of them bowed, seeing that the meeting was obviously over. The doors opened for them and Zidane lead the way out. Eiko looked back at her father with a sad smile. Cid smiled back at her. Suddenly, he walked after them with hurried steps. They all stopped.

"I … must beg you though," Cid began.

"What is it, Uncle?" Garnet asked curiously.

"I … I ask that you try to find them in six months," Cid said sadly, glancing briefly at the unknowing Vivi.

"Six months?" Zidane replied. "Well … we'll try."

"There's … certain lives at stake," Cid continued. "I don't want any of them lost."

Eiko looked at her father strangely but kept her mouth shut. Garnet eyed him suspiciously but plastered a kind smile on her face to assure him of their "trust". She gave another curtsy and the four left without saying another word. Zidane and Vivi followed blanky after them.

It was later that night when Eiko strolled through the halls of the palace. It was close to midnight and there were hardly any people roaming the hallways. She glanced around the corner and made sure that she wasn't disturbing any sleeping engineers. It wasn't unusual for her to be awake so late at night but it came to the point that she had to be careful not to be too noisy. After all, she had to be considerate for the famed inventors of the palace; since they were the ones Lindblum was most famous for. She crept around the men that were slumbering against the walls. The few that were awake nodded at her in recognition and some waved at her. Eiko smiled at them and continued on to the rooftop.

The air was rather cold from the rooftop but the view of the countryside was always amazing. Over the years, of course, the view had changed and she found herself coming back up not just to see the countryside, but the lights of the city as well. Eiko looked out and noticed that the moon was full and out. With excitement she ran up to lean against the wall to see what was going on down below. The breeze comforted her, almost making her forget about the stress of the day.

"Eiko?"

She gasped and turned around to one side and found Vivi sitting against the wall, reading another book. From the darkness and the black cover, she didn't even bother to try to see the title. Vivi smiled at her and put his book down beside him. Eiko sighed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I'm not used to sleeping in the nighttime," he shook his head as he answered. "It's hard to sleep when you're used to living in Treno for a couple years."

"Treno?" Eiko mused. "You lived there?"

"Right after I woke up, yes," he replied neutrally. "I was in such a daze for a while so it's not like I could travel far anyway. I just hung around a bit and slept whenever I could. After a while, I wasn't used to daytime at all."

"Sounds harsh," Eiko concluded. "Where did you stay?"

"At the inn," Vivi answered. "I made some money by hunting monsters and selling pelts. It was a good profit for a while … but not a fulfilling idea of a job."

Eiko looked up at the moon again and glanced back at him. It was strange how pale he appeared in the moonlight. There was never a time when she thought about his face. In fact, no one ever thought about his face until now. The strange sensation she felt, now that she was able to see his facial expressions in full view was startling. Unlike what she expected, he was a fully animated. That's how his face was. Eiko looked at him more carefully. He had a beautiful, almost androgynous face. The way his golden eyes glowed in the darkness sent shivers down her spine … yet made her feel at peace at the same time since they resembled fireflies. Vivi looked at her with confusion and she swallowed.

"Sorry," she apologized. "Um … your eyes are just distracting," she excused with a failed attempt.

"Oh, right!" He laughed. "Now, you must suddenly understand why black mages wear hat to cover their faces. It's rather scary to see someone with bright eyes like mine. It's like a wolf or something, huh?"

Eiko shook her head and giggled.

"Oh, I never thought it was scary!" she exclaimed. "It's … just really cool looking. Kind of like how Zidane's tail is."

"Zidane's tail?" Vivi chuckled. "Oh … I see."

"You know! It's really cute to look at!" Eiko beamed.

"My eyes are cute?" Vivi asked with uncertainty.

"In a way!" Eiko said thoughtfully. "It's different though. I can see your pupils and stuff now though."

Vivi smiled with relief.

"Then I'm … not too worried about it now," he murmured. "Thank you, Eiko."

He then stood up and joined her in looking at the view the city lights. Still not used to his towering height, she found that she trembled. Once again, she felt the heat rising to her cheeks as he stood so very close to her, looking down at the noisy sights. Unlike earlier, there were more people out because the bars and clubs were open. Everywhere, loud music and buggies contributed to the noisy, but amusing dischord. Neon signs were flashing from multiple buildings, making the city sparkle in a multitude of colors. Eiko felt even more at peace; almost as if the feeling of loneliness finally escaped from her.

"Vivi, can I ask you something?" she piped up.

"What is it?" he voiced with concern.

"Why did you give up your hat?" she asked.

Vivi looked down at the city and carefully thought about his answer. In his heart, he knew exactly why … but he never thought about putting it into words. Eiko was the first to ask him that. Then again, she was one of the first that could have cared in the first place. It was too long since he ever got into contact with friends. It was too long ever since he got to talk to someone … until earlier that morning. He breathed in the cold air and silently thought more to himself. Finally, after a few moments of silence, he had his answer.

"I wanted to expose myself to the world. I wanted to quit hiding and just accept who I was," he said confidently. "I didn't want to keep anymore secrets. I just wanted to be … one with the world. That is how I suddenly felt alive." He laughed again. "That's … weird, huh? But I don't know how to say it either way."

She looked at him and understood perfectly. If Vivi still had his hat, no one could ever see that dear look of joy on his face. It was nine years ago when he doubted his own existence. The sudden change he announced bit her off guard. Once again caught by his handsome appearance, Eiko had to look away to prevent herself from blushing again. Forget his eyes. His entire being was too distracting. The breeze picked up a few strands of his dark hair, making him look even more ethereal in the moonlight. She suddenly felt foolish. Why was she noticing those things? She was supposed to keep her guard up, especially during the times of chaos. Feeling love for a boy would only spell out her doom since such a distraction could steal away any necessary focus. Still, a pang of guilt hit her again and she could almost feel the burning sensation in her heart as the beautiful boy stood next to her in peace.

"Do you really feel … alive?" she asked softly.

Vivi turned to her, wondering why she was so solemn.

"Yes," he answered. "I truly feel alive." He looked deep in her eyes and she could escape from the blazing gold. "And … I love the very feeling of it."

The question she had been wanting to ask was finally answered … even before she had to ask.

_Yes, sixth months it is, Father. But now … I wonder … Is that even enough?_

Meanwhile, yet another insomniac had his eyes wide open. Zidane was sitting up in his bed with a white, cotton tank and knee length black flannel shorts. The balcony was open and the cold air seeped into his room. He grabbed the ribbon from his hair and allowed his golden tresses to fall down on his face. The sense of uneasiness had stayed with him for the whole day and it bothered him; just enough to knock the sleep out of him.

After the meeting, he felt more at ease with the whole situation. Still, he had his suspicions and was unnerved with the whole concept of the soldiers trapped in their optical prison. The very fact that the soldiers were careless and got trapped in the first place was strange to him. Lindblum had the most disciplined soldiers in the world. For twenty or so guards to be ambushed was a strange idea indeed. The magic itself was more unnerving to him.

Almost everyone in the world was taught that the power to alter souls was evil magic. Any magic with the intent of tainting a soul was considered immoral and unjust. Dark magic was what most people called it. It was not at all confused with black magic, which was merely the ability to summon the elements. Even the "life" spell the white mages used to use was on a different plane. The spell was used to prevent permanent ultimate death from being knocked unconscious but had nothing to do with touching the soul of the body. Any form of magic that people had grown used to was only used to aid people … and war. Anything else was considered something unnatural. People simply called it magic of the lower realm.

_The lower realm …_

Zidane felt his head pound at the thought of the place alone. He got out of bed and walked towards the window. The breeze was stronger now and his hair flapped violently and freely. A bad feeling started to suggest itself in his mind but he knew he had to try to be optimistic about it. He focused on other thoughts and only came up with Garnet. Honestly, the feeling was even worse.

Though he had finally designated himself in life as an adult, he felt like everything else in his personal life was plummeting. He hated the idea that no matter what path he wanted to take, he was stuck in the middle of something. Almost every desire he had involved a dilemma. Of course, only if he took charge of it.

For the first time in nine years, he admitted that there was an advantage he had when he was younger. Back then, he thought less and just charged into a situation … and dealt with it. However, at the same time, that was what brought him to his downfall. He then realized that life couldn't be handled like that all the time. Then again … sometimes it had to. He knew that he couldn't make any clear decisions at that point. Instead, he knew that all he could do was wait … to see what would happen.

_Once again, I've embarked myself on one hell of a journey._

AN: I'm doing pretty well, I suppose, when I said I'd post, on average, once a day. Well, the goal is to get this fic done before moving day (to the dorms). These intro chapters are the pits, huh? Always boring. But I'll try to put more excitement in the upcoming chapters!

Up next: Back in Alexandria! Back to the skies!


	5. The Threat

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Threat

Zidane sighed and slumped back in his chair, back at the desk in his room. They were finally back in Alexandria and like the previous night, he was still overcome with emotion. He looked over his desk, feeling a little out of place since there were no papers scattered across the surface. He then recalled that he had finished writing a script the day before and felt a little relief about it. The, he remembered another thing.

Without hesitation, he dug into his back pocket and found the keys to his room. He fingered a small, brass key that had been unused for the past several years. With a sigh, he bent down and faced the bottom drawer, the largest, of the desk and inserted the key. Once he heard the "click", he took the key out and pulled open the compartment. He looked inside, unsurprised of what to find in there.

Carefully, with both hands, he picked up the large twin daggers that were still in their sheaths. He slowly laid them on his desk, shoving the drawer closed with a foot and eyed them, almost reminiscently. He unsheathed one and listened for the familiar ringing of the blade and it faintly echoed in the silence of the room. Though he felt awkward at first, he began to feel the familiar sensations … and it was instantly comfortable in his hands once again.

_Hmph. I thought I could settle for the pen as my weapon. Sometimes, things can't take substitutes._

Zidane placed the dagger back in its sheath and a knock on his door could be heard.

"Come on in," he beckoned.

Garnet peeked in before entering. He lifted a brow since it was rare for her to ever come to his room, Usually, he was summoned to the throne room whenever she needed his help. He noticed that, once again, she was dressed in commoner attire, almost similar to what she wore the previous day: a red, long sleeved blouse that was longer, and a tan, long layered skirt. Her hair was pinned to the side again and, this time, she wore her crystal pendant. She carried a large, brown utlity bag.

"Am I interrupting anything?" she asked.

"Not at all," Zidane breathed, still partly occupied with his daggers. "But what brings you here?"

Garnet sighed and attempted to stifle a yawn. She brought her hand to her face to try to cover it up. Zidane noticed that she was rather fatigued.

"I … couldn't sleep last night," she said sleepily.

"To be honest, I doubt any of us did," Zidane pointed out, examining the hilts. "Seeing people trapped in a mirror is a lot stranger than death, if you know what I mean."

"It's rather frightening," Garnet agreed.

"Well," Zidane placed his daggers down on the floor and bent down to the bottom drawer, "you haven't answered my question." He unlocked the drawer and shoved the daggers back in. "Can I help you?"

"I … was wondering if you wanted to go to town with me," she said sheepishly.

"To town?" Zidane echoed. "Oh. Yes, of course."

"We need supplies," Garnet explained. "And I don't want to go by myself … so …-"

"Okay," Zidane chuckled. "No need to say another word. Let's go." He closed the drawer and placed the keys back in their designated pocket. "We should say goodbye to the place. I should also clarify my vacation with Ruby. She's aware that there's an emergency … but I should tell her it's a lot longer of a process than I thought."

"Vacation?" Garnet mused. "Since when did you consider it a vacation?"

"I didn't," he answered. "I just assumed that this was something … top secret, if you will. She's knows what I mean anyways." He smiled. "After all, since I live here in the palace, I'm subject to any orders I have here. It's quite understandable, really."

_Orders? _Garnet didn't know what to think of the term at that moment.

"Oh, well … I guess we should get going then," she sighed.

They walked out of the room. Garnet waited as Zidane closed the door behind him and flashed a peevish smile at her. They walked down the hallways. Both were quiet for a moment when they noticed a curious Vivi looking at the several paintings in the main hall. He caught sight of them and gave a slight wave.

"Hi there!" he said brightly. "Sorry I wasn't too talkative this morning. It was a long night!"

"Of course you weren't talkative!" Zidane chuckled. "You kept dozing off."

"You seem tired yourself," Vivi said. "I'm surprised you were able to fly."

"Aw, it's only about an hour flight," he sighed. "It's nothing I can't handle. I've had to fly theater ships back and forth throughout the night before."

"Impressive," Vivi awed. "Well, where are you two going?"

"In town," Garnet replied. "Would you like to come?"

"Of course!" Vivi beamed. "I'd love to!"

"Then, come on!" Zidane patted the young man's shoulder and they continued on walking. "It must be a while since you last came to Alexandria. We're stopping at the theater too!"

"You have a theater?" Vivi asked.

"Ruby and I manage it," Zidane answered. "It's … well, not to brag, pretty impressive."

"It's definitely beautiful," Garnet added. "The fall is when the best plays are shown. It's only spring time so … perhaps when this is all over, we can watch a few."

"Wow!" Vivi exclaimed. "That sounds pretty cool!"

"And there's going to be a new one!" Zidane said happily. "It's the one I've been writing for the past few months. I finished it yesterday, to be honest."

"Oh, right!" Garnet remembered. "What's it about?"

A light glittered in his blue eyes. He raised his index finger in a reprimanding manner.

"Not telling," he sing-songed. "You'll have to wait and see the promos when they come out."

They were at the entrance when Steiner stopped them.

"Your majesty!" he announced. "What a pleasant day it is today! Still, shouldn't you be getting some rest?"

"I'm fine," Garnet shook her head. "From what I told you this morning, we're a bit in a state of emergency."

"Understood," Steiner nodded.

"By the way," Garnet looked around, "where's Eiko?"

"She's currently sleeping in her quarters," Steiner replied.

"Good," Garnet sighed. "The poor girl hasn't slept in _days_. Make sure she isn't disturbed. She's a fine young lady and it would be a shame if the lack of sleep stunted her growth." She smiled to herself. "After all, she's still only fifteen."

"Yes," Steiner agreed. "She's just as responsible as you were at the age, your majesty."

"Well then," Garnet looked at her companions and nodded at Steiner. "Please, take care of things while I'm gone."

The three were outside and Garnet yawned again. The sun woke her up immediately though but she still felt a little fatigue. Out of the three, Zidane was the only one that seemed fully awake. Then again, he

tired in his own way but he kept himself straight and firm. Garnet noticed something poking from his sides and realized that he was, once again, armed.

"Fifteen, your majesty?" Vivi asked with disbelief.

Garnet and Zidane looked at him.

"Yeah, she turned fifteen just a while ago," Zidane replied, nonplussed.

"Amazing," Vivi murmured. "She really has grown, hasn't she?"

"Well, what about you?" Garnet chuckled. "You, yourself, grew over the years."

"Yeah," Zidane agreed. "Well, let's see … you were awake for three years … and the time you woke up, you found you were fifteen … so that means-!"

"I'm eighteen years old," Vivi finished. "I just turned eighteen earlier this year."

They gaped at the tall lad. Vivi chuckled and walked on ahead of them. Garnet sighed.

"These … kids are really getting older," she stated softly, gripping her utility bag.

"And, unfortunately, so are we," Zidane added with a sad sigh.

They passed the palace gates discreetly. Again, since Garnet was dressed in commoner attire, they remained unnoticed. Zidane pulled out his shades from a pocket and placed them on. The crowds were less than the previous day since it was close to ten o' clock. Zidane was relieved that there was no need to push and weave around since they were in a hurry. Within a few minutes, they were in front of the theater.

Alexandria's Theater was quite grand in its own way. Though the Lindblum Theater District was larger and more stylish in comparison, Alexandria's had its own classic appeal. Not only was it large in comparison with the smaller theaters in Lindblum, but it somewhat resembled that of a church. There were two large towers that extended from the top of the building and on the front, where the steeple was, were intricate statues of angels. In one didn't know any better, he or she could really mistake if for a house of sanctuary.

"Let's go in, shall we?" Zidane asked pleasantly as he pushed the door open.

The box office was dark and moody since it was supposed to be closed. Zidane removed his sunglasses and looked around. A security guard greeted them from inside of the ticket booth and asked them what they wanted. With the mention of Ruby and the familiar face of Zidane, he pointed to the entrance of the stage. Zidane wasn't surprised that Ruby was in the theater. The woman practically lived there as her housing unit was just near the catwalk entrance. He motioned for Garnet and Vivi to follow him and he unlocked the main doors of the theater.

Right away, Vivi was introduced to the beautifully decorated hall. Not only were the acoustics top-notch but the trimmings of the structure was a beautiful shade of gold. There were several levels of balconies and suites near the top. The ceiling was carved and painted with intricate curves and whorls with a ceramic textured shade of teal. Even the seats were fancy as they were composed of plush velvet and fine wooden mechanics. Last but not least, the stage was impressive; being the largest stage he had ever seen. The red curtain was down but it failed to hide the mystical feel.

The lights were dim but they could make out a single person sitting in the front row. Right away, Zidane identified the figure as Ruby. They hurried along, making their way down the stairs, to the front row. Their footsteps caught the woman's attention so she turned around slightly from her seat to watch them. Once she knew who they were, she stood up and gave Zidane a tired look.

"Zidane Tribal!" she exclaimed. "Ye'r back!"

Zidane grinned to himself. He wondered what was more defining when it came to Ruby; her strange, teal hair, or that drawl of an accent.

"Yes," he replied. "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave again."

Ruby frowned slightly but she seemed to understand when she caught sight of the queen in front of her.

"Oh! Your majesty!" she squeaked. "I'm sorry! It's just that you're dressed …very simply … so it was kinda hard 'ta notice 'ya!"

"No! It's okay!" Garnet assured her. "That was kind of … the point."

Ruby nodded and handed the script to Zidane with a look of approval. She noticed the taller lad and was shocked for a moment that his golden eyes seemed to have a light of their own in the dimmed room.

"Oh," Ruby stammered. "Who is this, Zidane? A friend 'a yers?"

"Ah!" Zidane grinned. "This is Vivi! You remember Vivi, don't you?"

With a hard look and a little concentration, Ruby's eyes sparkled at the recollection.

"You mean-! That 'lil black mage from a while back?" she exclaimed. "Yeah … those eyes 'n stuff! 'Course I remember ya! Can't seem to remember your face though."

"Well, yes," Garnet explained. "He hasn't shown his face until now."

"Oh, the feller's really grown up now, hasn't he?" Ruby chuckled. "Well, speaking of which, that script, Zidane."

"Yeah, I was going to ask you about that," Zidane said, going back on topic. "You like it?"

"How can _anyone _not like your work, Zidane?" Ruby replied. "This might be … the best you've ever written."

"I'm glad that," Zidane said with relief. "My end of the job is done then."

"Yes …" Ruby replied. "Ah … so … when are ya coming back?"

"Six months at the most," Zidane replied distinctively.

"S-six months?" she echoed with her face turning pale. "B-but … that's when the fall season opens!"

"Ruby …" Zidane murmured, "I'm sure you can do it alone. I mean … you usually take over everything anyway."

She looked at him painfully, looking tired again.

"I suppose I can handle everything," she sighed. "But, Zidane … don't you want to supervise? I mean, this is going to be _huge._"

Zidane shook his head and glanced at Garnet and Vivi.

"I know," he replied. "But something came up … and it's quite … extreme … if you know what I mean."

Ruby's eyes widened.

"I see," she simply said. "Well … if that's the case … don't get yourselves killed, y'all hear?"

The three smiled and nodded.

"We'll take care of ourselves," Garnet answered. "And make sure you don't pull off too many all-nighters!"

"Ha! Zidane's the only one that ever does that!" Ruby laughed. "But I promise, ya! I'll work really hard too! Zidane! This is going to be the best production yet!"

"I'm sure it will," Zidane chuckled. "I'm sure."

It was noon and the three were sitting at the city's water fountain in the main square. With the sun in the middle of the sky, many people were inside the cafés, shielding away from the direct sunlight. Though, there were some young people sitting outside. Garnet was looking inside the utility bag, making sure that the potions and medicines were all intact. Zidane was running his fingers in the water, noticing his reflection. The thoughts of the trapped soldiers lingered in his mind. It seemed that no matter what he did, the image stood clear in his mind and pity filled his heart.

"Well!" Garnet exclaimed, "It seems we have everything we need here!"

"That's good," Vivi answered. "How about ethers?" Then he remembered. "Oh, sorry … nevermind."

There was some giggling in the near distance. Zidane turned his eyes to see some teenaged girls eyeing them. They couldn't really notice him since he wore his shaded spectacles. He listened carefully, interested in what they were so engrossed in.

"Do you see him?" one asked excitedly.

"The really tall one? With the blue coat?" said another

"That's the one! Isn't he cool looking?" the first voice sighed. "He's so cute, isn't he?"

"I know," the other enforced. "Look at that face!"

"And he's so elegant! He's slender and willowy! He's definitely my type!" added another voice.

Vivi turned his head in their direction unknowingly. Zidane smirked.

"Oh my god! He's looking this way!" said the previous voice.

Both Zidane and Garnet snickered, catching Vivi's attention.

"Well, I'll be!" Zidane caught his breath. "Take a look here at Prince Charming!"

"Oh, Zidane!" Garnet playfully hit his arm. "You're not … jealous, are you?"

"Jealous? Me?" Zidane asked, surprised. "Oh, come on, Dagger! I haven't thought about that stuff for years! Let's not forget that it's almost illegal to consider that!"

"W-what are you talking about?" Vivi asked, starting to blush.

"Weren't you listening?" Garnet inquired. "You're pretty famous with the girls, now, aren't you?"

"I … never thought about it," Vivi replied with uncertainty.

"Hmm," Zidane sighed thoughtfully. "You know, he doesn't look bad at all."

Vivi coughed, rousing another round of laughter from Zidane and Garnet. Feeling slightly betrayed, he turned away and looked up at the sky. He noticed some clouds passing by. They were dark and thick.

"Rain," he murmured. "I think we should be getting back."

"I agree," Zidane said, looking up at the sky. "I think we have all we need, right, Dagger?"

"Yes," she answered. "Wow. The weather really changes quickly here, doesn't it? I want to see if Eiko is awake. I feel sort of bad that we left her behind."

Zidane recalled their conversation from the day before. He started feeling a little guilty leaving the girl behind back at the palace. Without another word, he stood up and stretched his arms and tail. Garnet stood up as well.

"Oh, crap! I feel a raindrop!" Zidane groaned.

Later, back at the palace, Eiko sat still in the library. The desks were all empty and the chairs were comfortable. In front of her was a book that she found herself interested in. It was a book about the physics of light and mirrors. Like the other three, she couldn't seem to get the soldiers out of her head. The fact that she had seen everything happen …

Shaking her head of the negative thoughts, she turned the page and continued on reading. She had learned some interesting things. The fact that scholars referred to the mirror side as an image was not surprising but the way they had figured the reflective paths were interesting. Depending if it was a standard, concave, or convex mirror, an image could be magnified or demagnified. She then recalled that she was taught something of the sort in her studies … Of if she only paid more attention back then!

After a while, she became frustrated and gently closed the book. Apparently, she was still sleepy and was tempted to go back to her room to take a nap. Still, she knew that it wasn't a good idea to go back to sleep midday since it would wreck her sleeping patterns. Despite the lack of sleep she had gotten in the last couple days, she was thankful she finally got to rest. Alexandria was peaceful enough and she didn't feel the anxiety she felt while in Lindblum.

The rain started pouring hard and she looked out the window to watch it. Thunder boomed and it made her jump slightly. Her body trembled and she wrapped her arms around her, hugging herself. Over the years, she had developed a strange fear for thunder. It was because there was a brownout in the evening when she was thirteen. The lights all over Lindblum had gone out, causing a severe degree of darkness. She had been alone in the hallways of the palace and couldn't find her way around.

Electricity had its own flaws, after all. She used to not mind thunder because she was used to candles when she was younger. Even though the storms roared, there would've still been light. Ever since the experience of mass darkness, she hated thunder ever since.

Quickly, Eiko stood up and grabbed the book and put it on the cart so it could be returned later. She ran out of the room and headed towards the main hallway, where there was more light. She was glad that it was still daytime since natural light meant that total darkness was not yet possible. She sat on the bottom step of the stairs and sighed.

The voices of Zidane and Garnet talking happily caught her attention. She perked up and smiled at the coming company. They were slightly soaked from the rain and Vivi had taken off his overcoat since it was wet. His straight, black hair was pasted against his face and he tried to slick it back. She noticed his long, graceful arms for the first time and awed at how fluid his movements were since, under the overcoat, he wore a gray, sleeveless sweater. That's what the collar was attached to, after all. His guns were in clear view, strapped to his jeans, his legs were also long and slender … so was his waist. Eiko soon found that she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He smiled when he noticed her adoring gaze, making her turn her head immediately.

_Why do I keep thinking about him?_

"You're awake!" Garnet said happily, interrupting the girl's thoughts. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Eiko replied. "Where did you guys come from?"

"We were just buying some supplies," Zidane answered.

"Oh," Eiko answered. "I see."

The sound of running was suddenly heard. They turned around and looked up to find a girl running down the stairs. The sound of clanking armor was also heard. From what they could hear, Adelbert Steiner was chasing after her … and they were coming their way.

"Stop!" he huffed.

The girl stopped at the joining of the two staircases, surprised that the four were there. She ran next to Eiko and grabbed her harshly in a chokehold. Eiko struggled, not at all prepared for the attack and shook when the girl pressed a hand to her mouth. Vivi recognized her immediately and drew his revolver out.

"You again!" Vivi yelled. "What are you doing here?"

The girl eyed him carefully and pulled Eiko's body closer to her. Zidane and Garnet looked at her in panic, unable to do anything since they themselves were not armed.

"Orestes," she finally spoke. "So … you've sided with her, haven't you?"

"Stop calling me that!" Vivi demanded as he released the safety of the gun, threatening a bit more. "Release her!"

"Why?" the girl asked. "And you'll let her do away with everything? Listen to me, Orestes, you know what will happen if you let her live-! Ouch!"

Eiko managed to raise a hand to the girl's arm, pinching her hard. She managed to run get out of the hold and run to her comrades. By then, Steiner was standing behind her. He grabbed her and pointed his long sword to her throat.

Vivi remained still with his gun still aimed at her.

"We've got you," he said sternly. "We-!"

Before he could say another word, the girl vanished right in front of them. Steiner jumped back in surprise and noticed that the girl's guns were floating in midair.

"Stop her!" Eiko screeched. "She's still there! It's the vanish spell!"

Vivi shot three times but the bullets went through the invisible body. Eiko frantically looked around for the woman but failed. She then screamed when something grabbed her shoulder. She stiffened when the gun pointed at her.

"Remember this, girl," the voice whispered in her ear. "I'll do as he asks. I'll let you live. But remember: if you kill him, you die. Got that? I'll be watching."

Steiner stormed after the floating guns … as they ran out the entrance and suddenly disappeared in the pouring rain. Zidane and Vivi ran after them.

"She's gone," Garnet said calmly. "The spell lasts for quite a while, they're never going to find her."

Eiko breathed a sigh of relief and fell to her knees on the floor. She trembled at the last words the girl told her.

… _if you kill him, you die._

"Are you all right?" Vivi asked, extending his hand to her.

Eiko took it and allowed him to help her up. Thunder broke out again, causing her to jump and grab the material of his gray sweater. She buried her head in his chest, surprising him.

"Eiko …" Garnet murmured.

"I forgot," Zidane added. "She's afraid of thunder."

Vivi nodded. Without knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close to his body.

"It's going to be okay," he said softly.

Tears started streaming down her face. Vivi could feel her sobbing as she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt in her fists. He figured that she was really terrified of the storm and brought his hand to her hair, caressing the violet strands tenderly in order to calm her. Eiko indulged in the warmth of his body, feeling the guilt again.

_No. _Eiko thought to herself. _It's not going to be okay._

AN: Yes! I'm on a roll! Oh, I forgot to announce some things! There is artwork that I originally drew before I wrote this story! If you would like some accurate pictures of what Vivi and Eiko look like, go to my profile and I'll direct you there! Of course, feel free to look at whatever else I have there! Not all of it is good though … And since the fic is updated daily as planned, expect more artwork too! I'll be uploading a picture of Garnet when the next chapter comes up! Thanks for reading!


	6. The Journey

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Journey

Zidane sighed as he stood on the balcony of the small airship. The salt air of the sea stung his eyes to the point of making them water a bit. He could hear the sounds of seagulls flying overhead but they didn't distract him too much. It was only a week ago when they were designated to find the bodies of the soldiers … but so far, they hadn't found anything. Currently, they were drifting on the ocean, searching for any clues that the enemies might have left behind: food, supplies used, anything. Though they barely began, he felt as if his impatience was rising.

"Are you all right, Zidane?"

Zidane turned around to find a very concerned Vivi standing behind him. Because of the heat of the equator, Vivi didn't wear his blue overcoat. He still wore the knitted gray shirt with the large collar but didn't complain at all of the hot temperature. Vivi was always kind and patient … making Zidane a little envious.

"I'm fine," Zidane replied. "But it seems that our search is a little fruitless. You may be right after all. They're all probably somewhere else."

Vivi leaned against the balcony and looked up at the cloudless sky. He wiped the sweat from his hairline and yawned out of boredom. His lean body looked elegant, nevertheless. In fact, Zidane found it rather strange that Vivi was suddenly very elegant. The writer thought of the Vivi in the past; the clumsy, inarticulate, unconfident Vivi. Though Vivi was generally the same, he wasn't at the same time. Zidane thought amusedly if, perhaps, Vivi took all his advice to heart. He felt a little giddy at the thought that Vivi had grown … exceptionally well throughout the years.

He recalled their shopping experience and thought about the attraction Vivi roused within young women. Throughout the week, he noticed that Vivi constantly attracted young women. In fact, the same maid that came to change his towels somehow seemed to find an excuse to talk to Vivi. Most of the young maids at the palace would gather around him to make sure he was comfortable. All the while, Vivi was oblivious to the whole concept. _And of course, that's what makes him more alluring to them_. Zidane thought to himself and grinned.

"You're very quiet today, Zidane," Vivi pressed, still concerned for his friend. "Her majesty is worried about you too."

"Is she now?" Zidane asked. "Well, rest assured, I'm just very … serious today. I'm a little stressed that we're not finding anything."

"Yes," Vivi agreed. "But I have a feeling that people stopped at these islands for some reason."

"What makes you think that?" Zidane asked curiously.

"I don't know," Vivi sighed. "It's just … the feeling. Of course, I may be wrong."

"Well, hopefully, we find something," Zidane replied with a little hope. "There is one last island off to the east. We should be arriving there later this evening." He grinned. "Thank god for the invention of autopilot."

They were both quiet again when Vivi started studying Zidane carefully. As always, Zidane was cheerful and optimistic. At the same time, he was very wise and observant. He was more mature and a very good person to talk to. His build didn't change much though. He was muscular, unlike Vivi's lean and willowy appearance. With his plain t-shirt, his abs could be seen through it. Obviously, he worked out. He had grown a couple inches over the years but Vivi already beat him height wise. What interested Vivi the most was the mere fact that Zidane was a lot more subdued. There was never a time when he would force anything on anyone … unlike when he was younger: always pushing people to go against their fears. Vivi missed that little aspect, but he understood that was what made Zidane the very successful man he was … and what was probably the main reason the next question was asked.

"I … don't mean to intrude … and you don't have to answer me," Vivi began, "but … how come you and the queen aren't married by now?"

Zidane wasn't surprised at all that Vivi asked "the question". However, he wasn't at all prepared to answer him right away. As always, he repeatedly told himself the answer. However, it would be the first time in several years that he'd ever talk about it with someone. Vivi, like in the past, was the perfect person.

"Well," Zidane stared uncomfortably, "first off, yes, I'll answer your question. As for the reason …" He finally looked at Vivi directly in the eyes. "I can't," he answered with a firm, sad smile.

"You can't?" Vivi asked, confused.

"I can't," Zidane repeated. "_Because I love her."_

Obviously, the statement didn't make much sense.

"Huh?" Vivi squeaked. "Come again?"

"We've talked about it before," Zidane continued. "See, her majesty is … well, duh, obviously the queen. As our queen, she has many important duties. One of them includes … marrying a nobleman to keep up the status. Obviously, I'm not a nobleman. I'm … quite small in comparison to anything like that. There is no way I can rule a country either. I don't have that same upbringing as she does. Her majesty has had training all her life. I have had none."

"I see," Vivi smiled and quizzically asked, "why not run away with her?"

Knowing he was being tested, Zidane grinned back.

"Because that would be very irresponsible," Zidane answered. "Plus, I already did run away with her. We were merely kids back then so it wasn't that bad. However, we're adults now. Doing the same thing will only make a lot of people very, very angry." He looked at the sea dreamily. "The people need their queen. In fact, if it wasn't for her rule, Ruby and I wouldn't have our theater. There would be the same amount of the poor in the streets. She's a wonderful queen, Vivi. She's succeeded far passed her own mother! I'm proud of her … and even if the idea hurts … I'll stay behind her … even when she'll marry someday."

Vivi was a little surprised by the complete answer. He nodded slowly and looked at the sea as well.

"What about you, Zidane?" he asked. "What about your own future?"

"It's simple, really," Zidane sighed. "I'll continue to live in the palace and write my plays … and that's it."

"Oh," Vivi shrugged. "But you're also going to marry?"

"That's … not part of the plan," Zidane found himself saying instinctively. "I can't … love another person … like I love her. To aid and protect her … is enough for me."

Vivi looked at him strangely and was about to speak when the ship started to convulse wildly. Zidane held on to the balcony railing to keep his balance. The ship swayed back and forth for a while until it slowly came to a stop. Zidane ran to the bridge and pried the door open, causing a freight from the bilwildered Garnet, who was standing near the controls.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"We're … being attacked!" Garnet replied with fear rising in her voice. "They didn't hit us … they just aimed next to the ship to cause a scare … but they might be serious on the next shot."

"I'll take the wheel," Zidane replied. He noted that Vivi walked in, just as confused as they were. "Nobody go outside, understand? Where's Eiko?"

"Downstairs," Garnet answered.

"Okay," Zidane said. "Go get her! Quickly! Vivi, get in one of the seats and secure yourself."

It didn't take long for Garnet to call Eiko upstairs Once the two women were there in the room, Zidane also directed that they sit down and fasten their seat belts. He turned the thrusters of the ship on and looked behind him towards everyone else.

"W-what are you doing?" Eiko asked with panic.

"All right, everyone!" he stated. "Please, brace yourselves. We're going up in the air! The other ship's due another missile anytime soon."

Without any complaints, the ship rumbled and lurched. Soon, they elevated up to the sky. The suddenly heard gunshots and the clanking of metal. Obviously, they were being fired at … but the ship's exterior was too powerful. Still, if it penetrated the glass, they were doomed.

Zidane turned off the auto pilot and slammed onto the accelerator. The ship began flying forward at full speed. They heard something blast off. Obviously another missile was launched. Zidane looked down at the radar, and saw that it was not one, but two … and they were headed right in their direction. He noted the source of the shot … their opponent was also in the air.

"Damn!" he growled. "Homing missiles!" He briefly glanced at the others again. "Hold on, tight! Don't bother trying to talk or you'll just end up biting your tongue off!"

The ship angled deeply to one side, causing a fright from the other passengers. Vivi grunted as he felt his body yank to one side. The ship seemed to increase in speed and the rumbling from the turbulence became more violent. Zidane glanced at the radar, seeing that the missiles were still at their tail. He cranked a lever, making the ship descend steeply. Vivi clenched his teeth, feeling the gravity start to kick in. He closed his eyes, as if waiting for the crash to come.

There was no crash, instead, the ship was level again and near the water. Garnet turned her head back towards the window and took sight of the missiles close behind them.

"Zidane!" she screeched.

"I got it, love, don't worry!" he yelled back.

Though it wasn't the appropriate time, she felt her heart skip a beat.

_Love?_

Pushing the lever back to its position, the ship ascended again. Eiko clutched the hand rests of her seat, almost surprised that she didn't break them off with her violent grip. One of the missiles managed to fly parallel to the ship.

"Z-zidane!" she cried. "We're gonna get hit!"

"No we're not!" he replied. _Not while I'm flying this thing!_

The ship angled again, flying sideways, barely touching the missile. Zidane grinded his teeth in relief but knew that it was still there. He looked down at the radar, searching for the position of the other missile. It was also parallel to the ship. An idea struck him. He looked for the previous missile, waiting for it to also fly parallel to them. It didn't take a few seconds for both to point directly at the ship.

"_Zidane!"_ Garnet screamed in horror.

Both missiles came close to the ship, surely about to strike them when Zidane pulled the lever, causing them to drop down very quickly. The two missiles intercepted and ignited on contact, barely missing the airship. Zidane steadied the ship and launched forward, gradually slowing down their speed. He looked down at the radar one last time. The enemy ship was gone and there were no more missiles heading their way. Obviously, the enemy had stopped following them halfway during the missile chase; as if confident they would be hit for sure.

_Good. We lost them._

Zidane took his time to land the ship in a safe area. He unbuckled his seat belt and stood affront everyone else.

"Everyone all right?" he asked with a mock sense of pleasantry. Nobody said a word and just sat there, gawking at him. He breathed out a sigh of relief. "Um … all righty then! At least I didn't have anyone fainting on me-!"

Eiko unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up dizzily. She felt her stomach lurch and headed towards the door.

"Ugh … I think I'm gonna be sick!" she moaned.

With that, she ran out the door and they watched her perch over the balcony. Garnet looked at Zidane sternly.

"Well, it would've been either blowing up to pieces or you killing us with that flying," she said through gritted teeth.

"I'm experienced at this sort of thing!" Zidane chuckled nervously. "Unfortunately, not all are used to flying like that."

"That was … intense," Vivi said, raising a hand to his pounding temple. "I definitely know I never want to do that again."

"Well, hopefully," Zidane sighed ecstatically, "we don't have to."

"By the way," Garnet looked out the window, "where are we?"

Feeling a bit silly that he hadn't thought of it, Zidane turned around and looked at the digital map on the monitor. He studied the location carefully, thinking about what to do next.

"Well, shoot, we're near the Black Mage Village!" he cried excitedly. Then his expression faltered and he turned to Vivi. "Um … I mean … the … former Black Mage Village."

Everyone looked at each other.

"We," Garnet suggested, "might as well take a look."

"I suppose," Zidane agreed. "Is that okay with you, Vivi?"

"I guess," Vivi nodded. "But … I'm not really sure."

"Then it's a bad idea, then?" Zidane quickly changed his mind. "We … don't have to."

"No, it's fine," Vivi argued. "We need some supplies. We might as well go. I'm sure that we can hid the ship in the woods too."

"We could," Zidane said thoughtfully. "I suppose we'd have to hide there anyway. We managed to get away from that airship … we can't be discovered now. The ship is small enough too. It'll conceal well among the trees." He sat back down on the cockpit and turned the engine on. "Um … I'll roll it in."

The ship rumbled again and Zidane wheeled it in through the forest entrance. The trees rustled a bit as he did but, like he imagined, it fit in perfectly. He then stopped the engine and they were completely hidden from the outside. He picked up the GPS unit and shoved it in his pocket.

"Okay!" he exclaimed. "Let's go then! Don't leave any valuables here! Take as many things with you as you can!"

A half an hour later, they were deep into the woods. Zidane kept checking his GPS and looked around to make sure they weren't heading in the wrong direction. Garnet held onto the utility bag for dear life, watching carefully of their surroundings. The monsters had decreased over the years because of the lack of mist. However, there was still danger in travelling. Fortunately, there were rarely any humans on the continent so they didn't worry too much about bandits. She sighed when she saw the familiar clearing of the village.

"Look!" she pointed. "It's right there!"

In a hurry, they ran for the clearing and went into the village. Several genomes looked at them suspiciously as they entered, but calmed down significantly when they caught sight of Zidane's tail. Immediately, they gathered around the foreign crowd. One single woman walked up to them with a blank expression on her face. She forced a smile, an expression that she couldn't grow used to.

"Brother," she voiced. "It's been several years since you last came here."

"Yes," Zidane answered. "Well, I'm glad to be back! However, I'm afraid we can only afford to spend the night, Makoto."

"I'm sure," she replied softly. "But … when we saw you come here, we had a little bit of hope."

"Huh?" Zidane breathed. "What do you mean?"

"Come, we must talk inside," Makoto motioned for them to follow. "It might cause panic if we talk out here."

Curiously, the band followed the monotonous genome. She opened one of the huts and pointed to some seats where they could sit down. They took a seat and watched her carefully.

"What's happened?" Zidane asked. "Has anything strange happened?"

Makoto nodded and walked over to her shelves. She picked something up and took a seat where they all could see. She presented a small, round, disc. It was quite pretty and embellished with silver and gold. Eiko stared at it, impressed by how intricate it was and studied it carefully.

"What is that?" she asked. "It's so pretty."

Without saying anything, Makoto placed it on the table and everyone gathered around to see. She opened it slowly, and carefully revealing two tiny mirrors. Apparently, what the object was, was a compact. Suddenly, they all realized it was not ordinary compact.

"Oh my god," Eiko gasped.

Inside the mirror was a girl. She stared at them blankly with no expression on her face. Her eyes were blank … almost as if she didn't have any pupils. Her hair was tied up with a russet of curls flowing out. She wore a pink gown that frilled out from her petticoat. All in all, she was a pretty little thing. What bothered them was … was her strange movements.

"It's … one of those mirrors," Vivi murmured. "She's trapped inside!"

"There were strange visitors here last week," Makoto explained. "Some of them were Lindblum soldiers. Though … they acted very strangely … almost like they were dead or something."

_Dead?_

Zidane shivered, almost glad that he wasn't there to see.

"Ah, so they went here directly," he stated. "I guess we were really on a wild goose chase, huh?"

"I guess we're lucky," Garnet sighed. "But now I'm worried. Apparently, they're capturing random people now."

"No, wait," Vivi interrupted. "Take a close look."

The girl in the mirror kept walking around, occupied with something else. She looked like she was picking up stones. They all realized that they were indoors … there were no stones or gravel anywhere.

"She's … not even aware that we're watching her," Garnet realized. "The background is totally different too!"

Zidane picked up the mirrored compact and looked deep into the image it produced. The area looked … familiar … but he could not remember where he had seen the place. He gave a smile at Makoto, silently thanking her.

"This … is a very important step for us," he exclaimed. "I have a feeling … that this is where the bodies were taken. It's some sort of a camera!"

"It seems so," Eiko agreed. "Look! There are more people!"

Just as she said it, several children were joining the little girl. They all started to pick up gravel … almost absentmindedly.

"What are they doing?" Vivi watched carefully.

To their horror, one of the children shoved the rocks into his mouth. Garnet cringed at the sight.

"They're … eating it!" she said with horror as all the children started sucking on the tiny pebbles.

"They're all acting stange," Zidane said. "They're … not acting human at all."

Everyone remained quiet for a while. Makoto stood up and walked over to the shelf again. She then placed several more compacts in front of them.

"There are more?" Vivi asked.

"Yes … those visitors left them here. They were in a hurry to go. One of them, the leader, was a woman."

Eiko's eyes widened at the statement.

"A woman?" she repeated. "What kind of woman?"

Makoto shrugged.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "But she wanted to leave right away."

"How old was she?" Eiko pressed on.

"Hmmm … probably middle-aged," Makoto answered calmly. "You are looking for her in particular?"

Zidane, Vivi, and Garnet turned to Eiko, who was silent for a couple seconds.

"No …" she finally answered. "It's just that there's another woman following us. She's about … Vivi's age."

Makoto raised an eyebrow and stood up again. She peered over the lad and gazed at him with disbelief. Vivi sank into his seat, bewildered of why the woman was looking at him with such intensity.

"Those eyes!" she replied. "But it can't be!"

"That's what we all thought too," Zidane replied. "But apparently, he's alive."

Makoto shook her head furiously.

"No!" she cried. "That's impossible! Even the little ones … no, that can't be right!"

"Calm down!" Garnet hushed. "Makoto, please, I know it's strange, but this is the very Vivi Ornitier!"

Makoto paced around for a few moments. She gazed at Vivi carefully, almost as if she was looking at a ghost. Vivi shifted uncomfortably, growing more and more impatient with her harsh glare. Makoto looked at him in the eye and frowned.

"No …," she persisted. "Vivi Ornitier is dead. He stopped working eight years ago and his body is buried in the graveyard.

AN: Chapter six already! I'm proud I'm keeping it up … and not slacking off! Oh! And check the Deviantart page! Garnet's picture is up!


	7. The Corpse

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Corpse

The next morning, Eiko Carol stood still as the rising sun crept in slowly from the east. She looked down at the gravestones and shuddered as she read the only real name without a number:

_Vivi Ornitier._

Her body shook out of shock. She fell to her knees and leaned towards the stone … as if she wanted to absorb the name into her body. The name echoed in her brain … almost haunting her. She felt like screaming … because she heard the very news that she never wanted to hear. The words Makoto said were the ugliest words she could ever bear to hear. Eiko couldn't feel her heart anymore than could she create any rational thought. It was as if both her heart and her brain stopped working. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to do. It only took a split second to understand what was going on. It only took a little bit for her to realize the initial situation. It was just the previous day when she found the solid evidence she needed …

To kill him.

Eiko bit her lip. No, there was no way she could bring herself to actually do it. Her father had begged her to refrain the assassination before she left on the trip. Still, perhaps even her father was blinded by his heart. They had known Vivi for quite some time. In fact, they had grown close and found companionship in each other. Then again … perhaps it was her that was blinded by her mind. Just what was the true thing to listen to: her heart or her mind? There was also that woman that kept following them. If Eiko killed Vivi, she herself would be killed. Then again, sacrificing two people was nothing compared to the thousands of lives that were at stake.

_Then I'll do it._ Eiko thought bitterly to herself. _I just have to wait for the right time._

She then remembered the last week she spent with him. She remembered the day they toured Lindblum and the night with the full moon. A blush covered her cheeks when she thought about the rainy day … when he held her and comforted her from the thunder. Could she really give up the warmth and kindness he gave her? He didn't even ask for anything in return. She felt her heart slow down and wanted to scold herself for thinking of him too much. By then, he was already important to her. Not just as a target … but as a friend. She hated the fact that he had to die. To be fair, she didn't really mind the idea that she would have to die as well.

_At least … if he goes … I'll go with him._

The "wark" of a chocobo interrupted her thoughts. The sun was already up passed the horizon, signaling that it was time for breakfast. Casting her ideas aside, Eiko headed back to the hut where she could smell hotcakes and maple syrup. The smell was good enough for her to forget her melancholy thoughts of the morning. She opened the door to find a busy Makoto serving a sleepy Vivi some of the food. Eiko froze for a moment when she saw him, but calmed down immediately, pretending there was nothing wrong. Since the previous day, everyone pretended that there was nothing wrong. Being as unexpressive as ever, Makoto just accepted the fact that the man called himself "Vivi" and treated him equally as a guest. She did, however, warn them not spread the news around since it would definitely cause panic within the other villagers.

"Good morning, Eiko," Vivi greeted brightly. "I didn't think you were awake yet."

"Oh," Eiko chirped. "Yes … I was awake a while ago."

"Yes," Makoto answered, not looking up. "She was awake before the sun came up this morning."

"I see," Vivi answered neutrally. "Umm … where were you?"

Eiko paused for a moment … and decided she might as well tell him.

"At the graveyard," she finally replied, feeling a lump in her throat.

Vivi stopped in the middle of raising his fork to his mouth. He looked at her strangely at first and then it turned to a gaze of understanding.

"Oh," was all he could say.

"I mean-!" Eiko countered immediately, "It's … well … I was curious!"

"Well," Vivi breathed, "did you find it?"

Eiko nodded. Without saying another word, she went over to the sink and washed her hands. She tried to figure out if Vivi was upset of the fact, but then she realized she wasn't sure. She had to ask him directly. Closing the faucet, she dried her hands with a towel, placed it back and went to sit down at the table. Vivi casted a genuine smile at her, catching her off guard.

"So," he began, "then … I'm afraid I can't hold that promise to you."

"W-what promise?" she stammered.

"About forgetting the reasons I'm alive," he answered. "Apparently, now, I'm more curious than ever. Ironically I feel more alive … but I'm supposedly dead."

She looked down at the serving plate and helped herself to a few pancakes. The stress was making her hungry and she didn't care how fattening the breakfast would be that morning. She picked up the butter and spread it on furiously. Then, she poured an overdose of syrup, almost flooding the cakes.

"Wow!" she gasped. "I'm starving! It's been too long since I had a home cooked meal!"

"Then you better eat up," Vivi chuckled. "You know we're leaving once Zidane and her majesty eat breakfast."

"Oh, they're still asleep?" Eiko asked.

"Yes, Zidane was still asleep when I woke up," Vivi replied. "And I'm assuming the queen is still asleep as well since I didn't see her leave her room."

"Gah!" Eiko sighed. "Those two are always the last ones to wake up!"

"Yesterday was … quite a rush," Vivi recalled. "Though I didn't know Zidane could fly an airship like that."

"Zidane and Garnet are good at flying," Eiko explained. "They've always been."

"Yes. I remember now," Vivi answered. "How you ever piloted?"

"No," Eiko shook her head. "I've always wanted to, but Father never lets me."

"Don't feel bad," Vivi laughed. "I've never even considered flying before."

The door to one of the bedrooms opened. A slightly disoriented Zidane walked out, all dressed up, but his hair was still untied. He headed towards the sink and washed his hands. Once he was done, he gave the two a dazed smile.

"Morning," he said dreamily.

"Brother," Makoto said calmly, "You're hair has grown out."

"Huh?" Zidane reached for the long strands of hair and looked at it. "Oh, right … I've been used to tying it so much that I haven't cut it in a while."

"It's longer than mine," Eiko replied. "And it's definitely longer than Garnet's."

"Oh," Zidane said, still in a daze. "Makoto, you cooked breakfast? Looks good."

"And …" Vivi continued with the conversation, "it's almost like a girl's."

Zidane forced a mock frown at the two teenagers and raised an eyebrow.

"Look, if my hair's that much of a problem, then I'll cut it, okay?" He sighed, "Geez, why are we talking about my hair in the first place?"

They turned their heads when the other bedroom door opened. Garnet walked out, dressed up, but unlike Zidane, all aware of her surroundings. She calmly waited for Zidane to finish washing his hands. When he moved out of the way, she took her turn.

"Well, good morning, everyone!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "How's breakfast? It smells really good!"

"Yummy!" Eiko replied.

Zidane took a seat next to Vivi and served himself some pancakes.

"We were talking about Zidane's hair," Vivi said.

Garnet gave them a strange look.

"Why?" she asked.

"Don't know," Eiko answered. "Makoto started it."

Makoto sighed and placed a bowl of fruit on the table.

"I was just starting conversation," she replied. "But you all made such a fuss about it."

Garnet looked at Zidane carefully, noting the length of his hair. Yes, it had grown fast over the last couple months. Still, it suited him for some odd reason.

"Well, I think it's fine," she concluded.

"See?" Zidane smirked.

"I didn't say it was bad," Eiko said. "It is nice, isn't it Vivi?"

"I suppose," Vivi answered.

They were all quiet again, concentrating on their food. Garnet took a seat and sat next to Eiko, eyeing the serving plate carefully. She served herself a singly pancake and lightly buttered it. She poured a small amount of syrup, just enough to wet it a little. Unlike the others, she wasn't as hungry. Garnet sipped her water quietly, then she looked at Zidane again.

"Um," she suddenly began, "you're hair really is pretty. I never noticed it before."

Zidane sighed, feeling his cheeks redden.

"Okay, seriously, can we stop talking about my hair?" he groaned.

Garnet laughed.

"What?" she teased. "It's true."

"Well, come on, we should be thinking of what we're supposed to be doing next," he sighed of anxiety. "For one thing, obviously, we've hit a hot spot. We're on their trail and we can't lose them now."

"But the attack from yesterday," Eiko countered. "How do we know that they're not the ones chasing _us?"_

"Well," Zidane thought for a moment and then continued. "The ship that attack us yesterday seems to be their men stationed near Lindblum. Obviously, there are men watching out for us. However, the abductors are working on their own. Now, it would be inconvenient to be on the offense if there are hostages. So, obviously, they want to move them out of the way."

"I see," Vivi said.

"Yes," Zidane nodded. "They want to keep us away from something. Unfortunately, it seems that they lead us in the right direction."

"Good thinking!" Garnet mused, "But how would you know?"

Zidane smiled mischievously.

"Well, your majesty," he grinned. "You seem to have forgotten that I, myself, was an abductor once.

AN: A short chapter this time! It was somewhat angsty, somewhat ridiculous though. Otherwise, it would've dragged on. Thanks for reading this far! Stay tuned for another chapter tomorrow!

Standard disclaimers apply (from endnotes chapters one and two!)


	8. The Girl

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Girl

Two days had passed and they were due a report to Cid. Surprisingly, there were no aerial attacks from the mysterious enemy and they managed to reach the continent in peace.

The ship landed safely in the docking area in Lindblum. Garnet looked out and eagerly watched as the maintenance crew outside waited for them to walk out. Vivi and Eiko both walked out of the ship and greeted the crew. Zidane turned off the engine and turned to her, smiling.

"I'm glad we made it back safely," he sighed. He then gazed at her in concern. "Hey, are you all right?"

She nodded and looked down at her lap. She pulled out the compact and opened it, studying the strange figures again. The people she watched were different that time. Instead of children, she watched two adults, a man and a woman, holding hands. Garnet then caught interest and studied them carefully.

" _Peter_…"

Zidane turned around and looked in her direction.

"Hey, did you say something just now?" he asked.

Garnet turned to him, eyes widened.

"The mirror!" she exclaimed. "There's … talking coming from the mirror!"

Zidane quickly went to her side and looked down at the mirror in her hands. The couple was embraced in each other. The woman was sobbing in the man's arms. With curiosity, Zidane and Garnet peered in closer, listening carefully.

"_Elaine," _the man in the mirror whispered. "_Please, it's going to be all right."_

"_No … there's no hope for us anymore," _the woman sobbed. "_Not with Prince Orestes gone!"_

"_Hush … he is considered missing still. According to the Oracle, he is still alive. The queen was informed about it a month ago," _the man answered.

"_Then there really is no hope," _Elaine answered. _"He is as good as dead. He still doesn't know his destiny." _She looked into another direction. "_While he is in the Upper Realm, his life is in danger."_

"_Yes," _Peter agreed. "_But all we can do is wait for him … to free us. That is his destiny." _He forced a smile. "_The queen will surely die … and we can go back … to the world above."_

"_Yes, I hope so,"_ Elaine answered softly. "_I'm tired of the taste of dirt … I wish to eat real food again."_

The man laughed.

"_My dear Elaine, we would need our bodies back to taste the food again."_

Before the watchers knew it, the man and woman left the view of the mirror, only leaving a darkened background for them to see. Garnet closed the mirror and looked up at Zidane.

"Prince … Orestes?" Garnet murmured. "Isn't that the name that woman called Vivi earlier?"

"Yes," Zidane sighed. "Apparently, that girl and Vivi have something to do with all this after all."

"Do you really think so?" Garnet asked.

Zidane took his seat again in the pilot's chair and his eyes narrowed into slits. Garnet watched him as he seemed to go in a daze for a moment. He then started to speak.

"The fact that Makoto claimed that Vivi's body is in the graveyard … that's been bothering me ever since," he explained.

"Me too," Garnet agreed. "It's … haunting."

"Everything is a mess," Zidane sighed, placing his head in his hands. "I'm beginning to worry that we're all put on a wild goose chase. I still don't trust Eiko … or Cid for that matter."

"And now Vivi," Garnet added. "I'm beginning to worry about him. The facts to this case aren't even ending up straight!"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Zidane asked earnestly.

"I don't know," Garnet sighed. "What are you thinking?"

"I … now have suspicions on the palace general," Zidane said calmly. "I have a feeling that Cid and Eiko know more than we do … and they're not telling us the important parts. I know we've had suspicions from the past … but now, I'm beginning to feel anxiety from it all." He stood up and looked around. "Let's talk in the dining room."

"Sure," Garnet agreed.

The dining room on the ship was much more comfortable. The two sat next to each other at the small table and looked at each other. Garnet placed the compact on the table and rested her hands as well. Zidane leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, thinking about the past events and Eiko's strange behavior.

"I dislike the fact that we're not trusting her," Zidane sighed. "She's a good girl. It's just that it seems that she and Cid have their own motives." He glanced at the mirror. "Who is this queen? Who is … Orestes?"

"Vivi obviously died in front of many people," Garnet said with some disturbance in her voice. "Makoto claimed so and I'm sure there was a burial for the body. He woke up when he was fifteen … not knowing how he got to his location." She looked at Zidane carefully. "Then there's that woman who attacked Eiko … twice."

"Why just Eiko?" Zidane asked. "Then … I also remembered that the woman was somehow … protecting Vivi … which is kind of strange."

"She seemed to want to kill Eiko," Garnet added. "She mentioned something bad about letting Eiko live … and then the fact that he was sided with her."

"It's all just so confusing!" Zidane laid his head on the table. Garnet took his hand in hers.

"Then … we shouldn't tell them what he just saw," she muttered.

"Huh?" Zidane perked up again. His eyes widened as a mischievous smile stretched across her face.

"If they're going to hide something from us," Garnet smirked. "Then we might as well hide something from _them." _ She sighed. "Well, at least for now."

Zidane looked at her with compassion in his eyes. He then began to chuckle.

"God!" he exclaimed. "You've definitely been around me too long."

Garnet laughed. She then stood up and stretched her arm.

"I need some fresh air," she strained. "Let's got out for a while!"

Within moments, Zidane and Garnet found themselves in the centre of Lindblum's Theater District. From the years, many smaller theaters were built to accommodate the tastes and affordability to a variety of audiences. Tantalus was no exception. Their theater troupe was a joint company with Zidane and Ruby's theater company in Alexandria. With the several plays Zidane wrote, Tantalus got exclusive showings … generating the largest audiences in Lindblum. Zidane was tempted to give Baku and the boys a visit, but he knew that they only had a limited of time. Instead, he and Garnet strolled down the empty street, peering at the many promotional posters outside the buildings. Obviously, most of the showings were in the evening so people never really spent time around the area during the daytime.

Zidane felt right at home. He tapped Garnet's shoulder, motioning her to look in one direction.

"Hey, check it out!" he exclaimed, "I didn't know they were going to be releasing that so soon! Just this fall? Wow. They're really productive!"

"Which one?" Garnet asked.

"Look, the poster next to the green glass doors!" Zidane pointed out. "_The Story of Iphigenia." _His eyes sparkled. "One of my friends was working on that all year last month. It's going to be fantastic!"

"Oh," Garnet giggled. "Are you going to go see it?"

"Of course!" Zidane beamed. "And … if you want, you can watch it with me!"

"R-really?" Garnet asked. "Then … that'd be great!"

His charm was making it difficult for her to forget the feelings she still felt for him. Garnet looked at him sadly … but continued to smile nonetheless. She looked ahead and watched as several couples walked along the street together … most likely walking home from lunch. Her heart pounded once again as she felt the feeling of envy build up inside of her. She then recalled the flight event when Zidane referred to her as "love". Once again, she felt his feelings and she hated the fact that they never talked about it. She knew that either path she had to take required a sacrifice. Of course, she was very tempted to make a decision right away … to make everything else go downhill.

"What's the matter?" Zidane asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "I'm just a little stressed out from all the things that have happened so far."

"Me too," Zidane sighed. "But for today, let's put it aside for now, all right? We have a major clue to where the bodies might have been taken. We're all going to research it tonight. Might as well have fun while we're out here."

"Yes," Garnet sighed. "I suppose."

The continued walking until they reached the end of the district … in the back alley. Zidane sighed, a little glad that they were out of the sun for a moment. Garnet leaned against the wall and looked around. There was no one there … until she noticed a woman running in their direction.

"What the-?" Zidane was interrupted when the familiar girl came crashing into him. She looked up at him and darted the other way immediately. "Hey! What a minute!" he cried. He glanced at Garnet. "Hey, we gotta follow her!"

"R-right!" Garnet replied.

They darted down the sidewalk, still on sight of the girl. Zidane looked around and noticed that several guards were running too. He stopped and signaled Garnet to stop as well. Immediately, they noticed that the guards were after the girl as well. He looked at Garnet and shrugged.

"Okay … so apparently, there's a warrant for her arrest," he realized. "Look! That's the castle guard after her!"

"I see," Garnet said. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Simple," Zidane answered. "We follow her and capture her before they do."

They sprinted again and turned a corner where the guards missed. Zidane grabbed Garnet's hand to help her keep his agile pace. The dark alleyways were quiet and only the sound of their footsteps could be heard echoing through the crevasses. Garnet tightened her grip on his hand, forcing herself to put in all the energy to keep running. They found themselves on the open sidewalk again and looked around for the girl and the guards. Zidane lead them back in the dark alleyway, back glued against the wall.

"Okay," Zidane huffed, "we're going to wait here and grab her before they do. There's no exit from the theater district … for the exception of the train or steam cables. They'll come running back here … hopefully."

Garnet nodded and they waited. Soon enough, the girl came running in their direction, thinking she could escape through the alley. All of a sudden, Zidane grabbed her in a strong hold and immediately covered her mouth with a gloved hand so she couldn't utter a spell. The girl was taken by surprise and tried to struggle to escape. Unfortunately, Zidane's grip on her was too tight and she couldn't get herself to move. Garnet walked in front of them and bent down at the girl with a kind look on her face.

"Please," Garnet begged. "Please cooperate … and we won't hurt you." She grabbed one of Zidane's daggers and pointed it at the girl's face. "But we won't hesitate if you don't. Got that?"

The girl nodded and stopped struggling. Zidane continued to hold her as they walked down the dark alley way. Garnet eyed the girl suspiciously, making sure wasn't trying to pull any dark magic like the last time. The girl refused to show and sign of hurt or pain … but it was obvious that Zidane was being rough. Still, it was necessary and they knew that it was just part of the routine of capturing someone. The girl looked around nervously, scared for her life.

Zidane noted that though she was skilled, she wasn't fairly experience. No matter what, she would've been captured one way or the other. It was obvious that she was not aware of her surroundings at all. If she was, she would've ran directly in the alley in the first place. Zidane looked down at her and studied her appearance carefully. Her hair was cropped short and it was jet black. What caught his attention were her aqua green eyes. Her face reminded him of someone … but he couldn't put a finger on it. He noticed that the fabric of her strapless white blouse was made of the finest silk. He also noticed that she was wearing very fine jewelry as well.

Thoughts started racing in his head. He remembered too many facts he had learned from Baku back when he was a mere bandit nine years ago. The girl was very similar to several people he had captured before and it was plain to see it on her appearance alone. Despite her rugged appearance, there was one obvious conclusion:

She was a noblewoman. Though she had tried to capture Eiko before and carried a pair of guns at her side, she was extremely inexperienced of the act. Her clothes were light and comfortable, but they were too fine for a mere criminal to wear. The fact alone that she wore elegant jewelry was a giveaway. Finally, the guns she carried were fine as well; polished and beautifully crafted, but not very functional. In fact, she might not have even known how to use them since they did not see her ever fire the weapons. There was enough room for her hands to take it out and shoot him on the spot … but her mind was too blinded with fear to even consider that.

When they arrived at the cable station, Zidane looked around for any soldiers. It would be too suspicious if they were spotted holding a girl in such a manner. Luckily, they were too distracted looking for her that they had left their posts. Quickly, Zidane picked up the girl with Garnet running with them and secure an automatic cable car for their using. Zidane watched as they rose up to the air, making sure that they were high up enough. He turned to Garnet.

"Have any muters?" he asked.

"Huh?" Garnet squeaked. "Um … a few."

"Great … please inject one in her please," he answered. "And hand over the rope too."

The girl gave a muffled shriek when Garnet inserted the needle. It took a few seconds for the girl to stop struggling. Zidane lifted his hand away from her mouth and immediately tied up her hands and feet. The girl sneered at them while Zidane and Garnet tried to look at her pleasantly.

"Sorry," Garnet said. "Apparently, we haven't been on good terms since we met. Though … we have a few things we want to ask you." She looked down at the girl and then looked outside. "We're almost at the docking area. We're going to take you to the airship … but knowing you, you might have been on it already."

"No …" the girl murmured. "I have not ventured that far with you."

"I see," Garnet sighed. "Well then … we will not turn you in if you cooperate. Please understand that we are not necessarily on your side … we do have obligations to fulfill … as much as we hate to do so. We fortunately have connections to keep you out of prison so … please cooperate with us."

"W-why … do you have me tied up then?" the girl struggled.

"Well, that," Zidane started, "is because we're just exercising some caution. There's also the fact that we don't want you doing anything rash. You're obviously in a state of panic … we don't want you getting yourself caught."

The girl's eyes widened with surprise at the two older people and looked down at the floor. Zidane felt a little sorry for her, but he knew he couldn't trust her just yet. The girl then understood that it was to her advantage if she cooperated with them. They might even, perhaps, set her free. She looked out the window and noticed that they were at Lindblum's docking area. There were no guards there since they had left their posts.

The doors to the cable car opened and Zidane picked the girl up. Garnet lead them to the entrance of the ship. They inspected the inside to make sure that no one else was inside. Luckily, Zidane remembered to lock the interior and didn't return the key. They stepped inside and went towards one of the rooms. Zidane stopped and looked at Garnet.

"I'll take her inside," he instructed. "Please lock us in and watch from the cameras. Oh, and take our weapons too."

Garnet took the guns from the girl and slipped the daggers out from Zidane's sheaths. He stepped in the room and set the girl down in one of the chairs. Garnet closed the door behind them and they heard a "click" from the outside. They were locked in. As the girl looked around, she realized that there were no windows or openings. There was a table in the center of the room with two chairs facing each other. The walls were all wood and the chairs and tables were secured to the floor. Attached to the ceiling was a small broadcast screen, which was faced over the doorway. Obviously, they were in a room kept for prisoners. The girl felt uneasy, but knew that it was impossible to show and resistance. There was no escape at all. The screen blinked on, displaying a patient Garnet, sitting in the bridge. She smiled at them.

"Hello, once again," she said. "Zidane, go ahead and untie her."

Without hesitation, Zidane rid the girl of the bindings. She sighed of relief and looked down at her hands. There were some marks from the ropes, but they weren't strong enough to have hurt her. It was mostly caused from her struggling, which she suddenly regret doing. Zidane inserted the ropes through a slot. From the video on the screen, Garnet collected them calmly and set them on her lap.

"All righty then!" Zidane exclaimed. "You're untied!"

The girl looked at him curiously.

"Well, don't look at me like that!" Zidane scoffed humorously. "Like we mentioned earlier, we're not going to turn you in … unless you're obviously our enemy."

"Huh? Shouldn't you have believed I was your enemy from the start?" she asked.

"Yes, we considered that," Garnet said from the screen. "However, we came to believe that you're only Eiko's enemy."

The girl's eyes widened. She gasped and laid her hands on the table nervously.

"Yes," she confirmed, "that girl is, indeed, my enemy."

Zidane looked up at the screen and smiled at Garnet.

"Just as we suspected," he said. "Well … and what are we?"

"You're … I … don't know," the girl stammered. "But you're Orestes's friend … so … I don't really know exactly."

"I see," Garnet said thoughtfully. "Well … to make things easier for you, let's just say that we're very close friends with Vivi. He was our companion nine years ago."

The girl shifted her head a little to look back at the long haired blonde. She nodded.

"Then … please, protect him," she begged. "Please! Don't kill him!"

Zidane and Garnet looked at the girl alarmingly as she went into hysterics. Tears started forming in her eyes and both were at loss of what to do to try to calm her. Zidane gazed at the crying young woman and looked up at the screen, trying to silently ask Garnet what he should do. Garnet shrugged her shoulders pathetically and waited for the girl to calm her sobs a bit.

"K-kill him!" Zidane exclaimed with surprise. "What are you talking about?"

The girl wiped away her tears and looked at them quizzically.

"You … really don't know what's going on, do you?" she asked with confusion.

"We never had any intentions of killing Vivi," Garnet said firmly. "Nor did we ever consider such a thing. We only met him last week … when we were assigned to go on a search for the soldiers."

"Just last week?" the girl asked with surprise. "Then … all right." A sincere smile was forced on her lips and she stood up and bowed. "Please, listen to what I have to say. It's very important. I won't try to escape anymore. I promise you that."

She sat back down and looked at Zidane seriously. She pulled out a small compact mirror and set it on the table. Zidane gasped.

"W-where … did you get that?" he demanded.

"It's mine," she replied. "I've always had it. For nine years now."

Zidane looked up at the screen towards the very surprised Garnet. Garnet reached for her purse and took out their mirror as well. From speculation, the mirrors were both identical. Zidane gaped at the object, lost for words. He finally bit his lip and then began to ask his question.

"As you can see, we have a mirror just like yours," he began, "and we have seen some strange things in this mirror. What is it, exactly, and what are the "dirt eaters" described here?"

"Dirt eaters?" the girl repeated. "Oh, you must mean the living souls!"

Garnet opened her mirror. From the screen, they saw she was studying it carefully. She then looked back into the camera and focused on them.

"Well, first, let's get aquainted," Garnet said. "I am Garnet Til Alexandros XVII."

"The queen?" the girl said in awe. "I … am sorry! I did not realize your position from your … um … attire, your majesty."

"It's all right," Garnet smiled, a little flustered. "Ah … that was kind of … the point."

"I am Zidane Tribal," Zidane greeted. "I guess you could say I work by the queen's side."

Garnet blushed but it couldn't be seen on screen.

The girl was silent for a moment. She then took off her gold necklace and set it down on the table. Zidane took a closer look and noticed that there was a small medallion hanging off the chain. He observed that the medallion had a sort of crest carved into it. There was a lonely red diamond in the center of the crest which comprised of a woman's shadow holding it. The girl then revealed that the medallion was actually a locket as she slowly opened it. Inside, was a picture of two children: a boy and a girl. She pointed at the little girl.

"I am Electra of Mycenae," she introduced herself. "You might not have heard of it, but it is a kingdom that is hidden from the rest of the world."

"Correct," Zidane informed her. "We don't know anything about it."

Electra nodded her head and closed the pendant. She placed it back around her neck and held on to the pendant as she began to speak.

"Apparently then, you are not informed much about the current situation of your … mission," she pointed out. "First off, I must thank you for rescuing me. I really appreciate it. There has been a warrant for my arrest here in Lindblum for about a month now."

"A month, you say?" Zidane asked to confirm. "Wow, good job!"

"Zidane," Garnet hissed scoldingly.

"Sorry," he chuckled nervously. "What I mean is that it's pretty … astonishing that you were able to shake off the military. As you probably … or probably don't know, they are the most powerful in the world."

"I can see that," Electra agreed. "But I am able to use magic. They can't because you have run out of mist."

"So it really is magic," Zidane said. "Is that what you are arrested for? Using magic?"

"N-no," Electra countered. "It's for different reasons."

"What reasons, may I ask?" Zidane inquired. "Oh, and by the way, this ship has been renovated several times. However, it was first built before the Iifa Tree stopped producing mist. This room is screened … so it's actually an anti-magic room. So … don't even try."

"I won't," Electra replied. "I understand. It's a mere precaution. However, I'll tell you that I was ordered to be killed from the kingdom of Mycenae. It is my mother's orders."

"Your mother's?" Zidane echoed in alarm. "That's rather frightening! Why would she do that?"

"My mother is the queen of Mycenae," Electra continued.

_Just as I thought, _Zidane silently said to himself. _She really is a noblewoman._

"Ah, then that makes you a princess!" Zidane said brightly.

"Well, a former princess," Electra chuckled. "I was banished from my country nine years ago. That was around the same time my father died."

"Ah, protecting her position, I presume?" Garnet asked.

"Yes," Electra nodded, "from my older twin brother."

They were silent for a moment. Zidane shifted in his chair, wondering why she was suddenly quiet. The girl looked directly at him and then looked up at the screen. She opened her pendant for him to see and pointed at the picture of the boy. Zidane hadn't seen the boy before but the portrait resembled the sister by a very high degree. Both had jet black hair and their faces were very similar in shape.

"So you have a brother," Zidane began to ask, "is he with you?"

"No," Electra answered. "There is also a warrant for his arrest … also starting back from a month ago." She looked at Zidane seriously. "My brother is Orestes. The one you call 'Vivi'."

Garnet seemed to jump from her seat as the sound of her chair could be heard from the camera. Zidane looked at the girl in awe and studied her carefully. The fact that she reminded him of someone seemed to fall on him like bricks. He looked at the picture of the two since the locket was still open for him to see. Indeed, the boy in the picture was Vivi … or at least resembled him. He looked at it more carefully and noticed that the boy's eyes were bright green, like his sister's. Obviously, Vivi's eyes were gold.

"Um," Zidane started, "are you positively sure?"

"Of course!" Electra exclaimed. "I was there when it happened! In fact, I was the one that made it happen!"

They were quiet again. With an embarrassed blush, Electra cleared her throat.

"Can you … explain what's going on first?" Zidane asked.

"I'm sorry … this is all probably very confusing," Electra apologized. "I should begin with the warrents first. Let's go back to that." She looked up at the camera to make sure that Garnet was listening carefully. "As I said, there are warrants for our arrest. We are to be killed if we're found. My mother has had control over this city for about a month now. That was when the soldiers were trapped in the mirror."

"Wait, what?" Zidane countered.

"Are you saying," Garnet's voice trembled, "that Cid has been hiding this from me for three weeks longer than when we were informed?"

"I suppose so," Electra answered. "But he had good reason to," she placed her index finger on the table. "You see, my mother threatened him … and that girl … that she would take the bodies everyone in this city … if Orestes and I weren't killed … in six months." Electra shook her head. "No, actually … she worded it differently. She said that _Orestes and_ _I_ would be the one to steal all the souls. She blamed it all on me. The soldiers that were trapped in the mirror … were a warning that I sent. Of course, naturally, that kind of magic is a sin. Anyone should be executed for performing such a spell. The fact that I used such magic once … is why she found it to be the perfect reason to blame me for it. Orestes had nothing to do with it! He's innocent!"

"Of course, she wants him killed," Garnet added, "because he's the rightful heir to your throne."

"Not only that," Electra said. "You see … this all started from a curse … that passed down our family."

"A curse?" Zidane and Garnet said simultaneously.

"Yes," Electra nodded. "From several generations ago. In order for you to understand, I must explain it to you."

"Okay," Zidane nodded. "Please, begin.'

Electra closed her locket again and let go of it.

"Have you ever heard of the story of Atreus?" she began.

AN: Cliffhanger! But I wanted to stop here. Yes, I posted later at night today since this chapter was just so frustrating to write. You have no idea how many times I changed my mind while writing this. Fortunately, my thoughts sorted out. I just didn't know where to end this … so here, you unfortunately have a cliffhanger. This didn't really answer all the questions though … but the next chapter definitely will. The real intention of the chapter was to get the pace moving because for me, it was moving waaaay too slllooooow. No new art today … unless you caught the extra pic of Vivi without his overcoat yesterday. A picture of Zidane will come up tomorrow! Again, thanks for reading!

Standard disclaimers apply (from chapters one and two).


	9. The Past

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Past

"Atreus, you say?" Zidane asked. "Your majesty, isn't that an old novel?" he then thought to himself. "Yes … I've read it before. Pretty nasty stuff."

Still in the insolation room, Zidane looked up at the screen with an odd look on his face. Garnet seemed puzzled as well at the mention of the common title. The girl chuckled a little at their expression and she proceeded to explain.

"Yes, it's a novel," the girl replied. "There are several different versions of it written but they're all a little exaggerated." She drummed her fingers on the table a bit. "The reason being is because the originally text was translated. You see, Atreus was my ancestor."

Garnet still looked at them, puzzled.

"Sorry," she breathed, "could you please explain? I don't believe I've read that before."

"Like I said, there are so many versions. However, they're all pretty much the same concept," Electra continued. "Atreus was a ruler. His twin brother, Thyestes, had an affair with his wife. Enraged with that, he killed Thyestes's sons and served them to their father." She paused. "Obviously, the gods saw it as a heinous crime. Thus, cursed the family. Atreus's sons had their revenge by killing their own father. Thus, started the curse of our family. Ever since then, each firstborn was predicted to kill his or her own father. That is how it has gone ever since(see footnote)."

"I see," Zidane said. "But … your father is already dead … isn't he?"

Electra nodded.

"True, but there is still my mother," she replied. "You see, she is the one that killed our father."

_Interesting._ Zidane thought to himself.

"Thus, bringing her into the curse," Garnet observed. "But may I ask … why she killed your father?"

"My father is not completely without faults, I admit," Electra answered. "Before I my brother and I turned five, my father was forced to sacrifice my older sister, Iphigenia. Obviously, my mother wasn't too happy with that. There is also her desire for power, as you have already seen. She had an affair with my uncle, Aegisthus. They are still together to this day and rule our kingdom." She then sighed. "That is where Orestes comes in."

Garnet sighed and held her head with her hands as she leaned against the console.

"I am guess that Vivi will take his place in the curse?" she asked.

"Yes," Electra replied, "but … there is hope. You see, the curse has reached its tenth generation. That means that the gods have finally granted forgiveness to us. My mother has committed a crime that already overpowered that of my father's. According to an oracle, Orestes was predicted to be the last destroyer … he shall end the curse."

"But … that would mean that he was fated to destroy your mother," Zidane added. "So, it all makes sense."

"Can I ask you another question?" Garnet piped up.

"Yes, please do," Electra nodded. "I would like to help you understand because I need your help in return."

"Well … about Vivi," Garnet stammered. "You mentioned something about 'being there when it happened' and 'making it happen'. Apparently, Vivi is dead … and you are convinced that he is Orestes … that's where we're a little confused."

Electra placed her hands in her lap and began to tell her tale.

"_Father!" a young Electra cried."No! Please don't leave us!"_

_Several guards restrained the little girl as she struggled to inch near the burning body of her former father. Her black hair was tied in a black bow and she wore a black, taffeta dress. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her hands were tightened into fists. She wished, with rage, that she could jump into the fire and save the burning body. Still, it was no use. Her father was gone. It was her mother that took him away from her. She managed to lunge forward but was pulled back by the strong chains binding her wrists._

"_Electra! Control yourself!" scolded her twin brother, Orestes. He too was chained up. "Please, you'll anger Mother more."_

_Electra stopped struggling and stood still. Like Orestes warned, their mother was watching them carefully from a distance. Fear rose in her heart, just looking back at her mother's cruel gaze. The young woman stood next to her lover, Aegisthus and they turned back to focus on the burning body. Electra fell to her knees and sobbed uncontrollable. Orestes bent down next to her to comfort her._

"_Electra," his soothing voice said, "please be strong. I'll still be here, I promise."_

"_Orestes!" Electra sobbed. "How are you so calm? Mother's going to kill us too, you know?"_

"_We're not going to die," he countered. "We're just … forbidden to come back."_

_Orestes grasped his sister's hand and helped her up to her feet. Though he only embodied a boy of nine years, he carried an air of a wise adult. Though he was bound in chains, he acted as if they couldn't restrain him, for his appearance remained calm and at peace. He too watched as their father burned to ashes. He didn't appear to be crying, but through his bright green eyes, it was obvious that he was crying deep in his heart. Electra grasped her brother's hand tightly, afraid of what was to become of them._

_Their mother had killed their father the previous day by stabbing him while he was bathing in the tub. Shortly after, the kingdom's oracle then predicted that Orestes would kill her out of revenge with his own hands, ending the family curse. Unsurprisingly, that was what led the children to their banishment._

"_Now, your majesties," one of the guards said, "please come with us. We shall go and gather your belongings."_

_Orestes slightly pulled his sister and they both followed the stream of guards around them. Frightened by the sudden orders, Electra grasped her brother's arm, holding on to him for dear life. The guards looked at the children in pity as they tredged on back to the castle gates. Despite the grim feeling of the day, the kingdom's skies were blue and the sun was high up in the hour. Unbeknownst to the kingdom, it would be their last day of sunshine._

_As the guards closed and locked the gates behind them, one of them led the children to the stables where their clothes and personal belongings were. Orestes and Electra picked up their bags, and one by one, helped the soldiers load them in the carriage._

"_How far are you going to be taking us?" Electra asked while checking her money bag._

_The soldier shrugged and shook his head._

"_I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Princess," he sighed. "I'm very sorry that this has to happen to you. Still … it is the queen's orders." He tried smiling to cheer her up. "Still, you're lucky that you are able to take things with you. Normally, people are not allowed during banishment."_

"_He's right, you know," Orestes added, loading the last bag in._

_Electra sighed and hopped in the carriage. She waited patiently for her brother to join her. Once the door opened and Orestes climbed in, he held her hand again and looked at her in the eye._

"_Brother, what is going to happen to us?" Electra asked, voice full of fear._

"_We're going to be okay," Orestes explained. "We'll find some place to stay! We'll work for money. Anything."_

_Electra looked down at her lap and pulled out her mirror from her pocket. The silver compact gleamed in the sunlight coming from the opening of the carriage. She slowly opened it and peered into it. It was one of her most treasured possessions since it had been a gift from her mother when she was born. Orestes had the same mirror but he never showed it to anyone. Of course, it was embarrassing for a boy his age to carry around a compact. Electra gazed deeper into it and watched the images it conjured._

_The mirror was also known as a looking glass; the most ancient art that Mycenae kept secret for centuries. In the mirror, Electra could view anything that was happening in their kingdom. It was a family tradition for the children to be given a mirror. Electra often used hers but Orestes didn't. He never felt that it was justified to spy on people so discreetly in such a fashion. Electra found herself enjoying it. She liked to watch children play. Sometimes, she would listen to their songs and learn the commoner's tunes to entertain herself. She had taught Orestes these songs and they both had a merry time learning them. There was, however, the other mirror … which displayed the alternate world of the living souls._

"_Brother," Electra asked, "do you have your mirror with you?"_

_Orestes shook his head and looked out the window. The carriage shifted; obviously they were beginning to move. He seemed bothered by something and looked back at his sister seriously._

"_No," he said. "I left it back. I don't want it anymore."_

"_You what?" Electra cried. "How could you do that?"_

"_I don't want to be tied to _her _anymore," he said crossly. "Electra, like I said, we're going to start over. Please, let's not be tied to the past anymore. It'll just make our lives miserable."_

_Electra looked down shamefully at her mirror and closed it. As always, her brother was right. The more she looked at the silver disc, the more she saddened._

"_Should I get rid of mine too?" Electra asked._

"_You don't have to," Orestes said, a little calmer then. "Well … maybe you should keep it after all. Maybe one day, we'll come back here."_

"_Okay," Electra nodded and placed the mirror back in her pocket._

_The carriage continued on until nightfall. It came to a stop when the guards jumped off the driver seat and opened the door for the children. Puzzled, Orestes peered out and gazed at the saddened guard._

"_Prince and Princess," the guard said sadly. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop here. You can keep the carriage and the chocobos to travel … but I'm afraid we can't travel with you anymore."_

_The children nodded and watched as the guards walked back in the opposite direction. Electra found herself crying again and Orestes comforted her. She clung to his black jacket and let her tears dampen it. Never in her life had she been so full of sorrow. Never in her life had she lost so many things at once. Orestes shushed her and patted her pack._

"_Look, Electra, we'll be okay!" he said with a bit of brightness. "Look! There are still a lot of greens for the chocobos to eat. We'll be able to travel a bit more. And look! They even left us a map! I have a compass too. We'll be able to find our way around!"_

"_But we don't even know where we are!" Electra wailed. "Brother … what are we going to do?"_

_Orestes climbed onto the driver's seat and extended his arm to his sister._

"_Oh, Electra, you're being such a wreck today," he chuckled. "Please, come on, sit beside me."_

_Electra climbed up and grabbed her brother's hand. They had both learned how to ride chocobos a few years back. Orestes was not only good at doing so, but he was also adapt at controlling the carriages. They had learned many things as the royal children … Electra never imagined that such things would come in handy. Though it was her brother that learned all the skills flawlessly. Orestes held on to the reigns and gently slapped them, causing the chocobos to start up again._

_They looked around and noticed that there was a forest nearby. Orestes lifted his eyebrow and noticed that there was smoke coming from the center._

"_What is it, brother?" Electra asked._

"_Look, Electra!" he said cheerfully, "there is a village inside that forest! We should go in!"_

_They headed in towards the forest. Electra shivered, wishing that her brother waited until daybreak to go through. She hated the dark and never slept without a candle. The noises of the forest were enough to knock her out of her senses. Still, it helped that her brother was next to her, calmly driving the coach through the tall trees. The lantern the guards left them also calmed her a bit. As they approached deeper and deeper into the forest, the trees became barer and the sounds of owls were louder. They finally stopped when they reached a fork in the path where a solitary sign stood._

_Orestes climbed down and brought the lantern up to the sign._

"_There are no owls here … huh?" Orestes read it over again silently. "What is this?"_

_The hooting of owls rang all over the domain of the forest. Orestes headed back to his sister in the carriage and shrugged._

"_What did it say?" asked Electra._

"_There are no owls …" Orestes mumbled. "Whoever lives out here definitely doesn't want us here." He shook his head. "It's puzzling."_

"_Brother, I think this forest is … enchanted," Electra observed._

"_I'm beginning to think so too," Orestes said. "It's definitely black magic."_

_They continued down the path until they reached a frozen river. Orestes stopped and studied the scenery carefully. He looked back at his sister and motioned her to come forward. Electra walked next to him and looked at the water carefully._

"_If I'm thinking correctly," Orestes murmured. "Hmm … Electra, can I please borrow your mirror?"_

"_Um, yes, here," Electra said, fishing her pocket for the mirror._

_Orestes held up the mirror and faced it towards the river. He smiled as he gazed at the reflection and gave the mirror back._

"_Just as I thought!" he said happily. "Okay, we just walk forward … and …"_

_As they went straight ahead, they passed a sort of barrier in front of them. What they suddenly saw was a small, quiet village. Some of the windows had light coming out, showing that there still people awake. Orestes walked forward and scanned the area. There was a mill and some shops. He spotted a small inn and nodded to himself._

"_Wow!" Electra exclaimed in awe. "You're so smart, Brother-!"_

_Before she could end her sentence, Orestes clutched his chest and fell to his knees. Electra rushed to his side and grasped his shoulders. He started to breath erratically, as if struggling for life. Electra looked around and searched for some place to stay._

"_An inn, Electra!" Orestes gasped. "It's right there! Please! Get help!"_

_Electra gently laid him to the ground and rushed for the small structure her brother pointed to. She burst in the door, surprising a sleepy black mage with his head on the desk._

"_Oh! Ah! A little girl!" he exclaimed. "Hello! Is something the matter!" It didn't even come to cross his mind why she was there anyway._

"_Oh, my brother! He's … please you have to help me!" Electra begged._

_The black mage adjusted his hat and got up to his feet._

"_All right, all right, please calm down young one! I'll be there as fast as I can!"_

_The both quickly ran to the boy. He was gasping desperately by the time they got there. Electra held her brother dearly. She looked up at the black mage in desperation … but was caught by surprise of his glowing golden eyes. _How do they do that? _She wondered. Then she realized that their faces weren't visible at all due to their hats. She then pushed the thought away and directed her attention to her brother._

"_Please, help me carry him to one of your rooms!" Electra cried. "I'll pay you! I have money!"_

"_It's okay," the mage said soothingly. "This is an emergency and it seems that you're not any typical traveler. Here, I'll carry him."_

_The black mage carefully picked up the boy. He noticed that the boy had an extreme fever and was starting to sweat. He then felt a strange, odd feeling as the boy looked up at him with gratitude. There was something familiar about the boy … He just couldn't put a finger on it. Without another thought, he walked back to the inn and immediately opened the door to a vacant room. He laid the boy on the bed and waited for Electra to come in._

"_Thank you!" Electra breathed. "He must be exhausted from the travel. It's just that we had nowhere else to go so we came here."_

_The black mage looked at them oddly. His golden eyes seemed to turn to slits._

"_How did you get past the illusion?" he asked._

_Electra blushed and brushed her hand against the pocket with the mirror. The black mage shook his head and turned to the door._

"_I'm so sorry, sir," she said and curtsied. "I'm grateful that you came."_

"_Oh, um, please don't mention it, little lady," the mage replied. "I'm glad to be of service."_

_Electra bent down next to her brother's bedside and grasped his hand. Orestes weakly looked into her eyes, the same bright green color he shared with her. He smiled slightly, still breathing hard._

"_That damned woman," he chuckled. "It seems she got me after all."_

"_Orestes!" Electra started tearing up again. "What are you talking about?"_

"_I won't have much time," he breathed. "My soul … is separating, Electra."_

_Electra's eyes widened. Yes, his soul was beginning to separate from his body and it hurt to look at him. He was struggling to contain himself … but his eye color was beginning to fade. She tightened her grip on his hand and bit her lip._

"_Orestes, you can't leave me too!" she cried. "Father left us and mother …" She gasped. "It's mother isn't it? Mother's the one doing this, isn't she?"_

_He couldn't say another word and could only gaze at her softly. He gently wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled sadly._

"_Electra …" he murmured._

"_Yes?"_

"_Please promise me something," he whispered._

"_What is it?"_

"_Put my body to good use when I go," he said._

_With that, his eyes closed and his skin paled to a clammy white. Electra screamed out his name and began to sob uncontrollably. She hugged to sound, sleeping body that once belonged to her brother in despair. Too many things ran through her brain. It was only a matter of a day and she had already lost so many precious things. Electra pounded her fist against the soft sheets of the bed and rested her head against her brother's chest. What was she supposed to do then? She quickly grabbed her mirror from her pocket and gazed into it. Despite what had happened, her brother was nowhere in sight. She murmured a chant into the mirror but his image did not appear at all._

"_She killed him! Oh! She took his soul and killed it right on the spot!" she wailed. "I hope he went to heaven! "_

_The door creaked open and the same black mage arrived with a tray of two bowls of soup. He looked at her curiously, not too surprised that there were tears in her eyes but had just heard her screaming. He set the tray down and stood next to her. His glowing eyes seemed to show a look of concern for her._

"_I heard you screaming. Is everything all right?" he asked._

"_No … Yes," she lied._

"_Ah, I see that your brother is sleeping!" the mage said brightly. "Well, I'm glad. He's breathing normally!" The mage set a gloved hand against the body's forehead. "Ah, his fever broke. I think he'll be good as new pretty soon."_

"_Ah," Electra stammered, "I think he may be asleep for quite some time."_

"_That is expected from those who are unwell," the mage chuckled mildly. "But his health is a lot better, now, don't you think?"_

"_I suppose," Electra said softly. "Oh … the payment!"_

"_Please, like I said before, do not worry about it!" the mage laughed. "We only charge if there are too many people here at a time. We rarely ever get visitors, you see."_

"_Oh," Electra squeaked, wiping a tear from her eye. "Well, we won't stay long."_

_The mage turned around to leave again but faced her as he exited._

"_I obviously made some soup for the two of you. Please, eat up! It appears that you have lost all your strength from your travels."_

_When he left, Electra turned to the steaming bowls of soup. She felt her appetite kick in since she hadn't eaten since that morning. She then stood up and walked to the bowls. She sat down and picked up the spoon. Slowly, she began to eat. Her eyes widened in surprise. It certainly didn't look entertaining to look at , but it was one of the best things she had ever consumed in her life. Electra greedily ate the soup and even started on the second bowl. She knew that if both of the bowls weren't eaten, it would appear suspicious. Her mind raced … what excuse was she supposed to use?_

_What was left of her brother was a living, empty shell. Though the boy was clearly alive, he was no longer the boy called "Orestes". Electra then took a seat in her own bed and watched the body carefully. Her heart ached as the shell slept so peacefully. She had previously watched her brother suffering from pain but now … it seemed to be all over. Before she knew it, sleep began to overtake her and she slowly fell to the bed._

_It was morning when Electra awoke to a knock on her door. The black mage looked at her with concern and motioned her to follow him. Without hesitation, she got up and stepped out of the room. Her dress was slightly wrinkled, but it didn't seem to matter since she was in a commoner village. When she got to the lobby, she noticed that the mage had waited for her patiently. He then looked outside and pointed to the carriage that was smack dab in the middle of the village._

"_Is that yours, Miss?" he asked._

"_Yes," Electra replied sleepily. Then it struck her. "Oh! I'm sorry! Could you please direct me to your stables?"_

_The mage nodded and they walked outside. There were only a few people outside. To her surprise, they all looked similar to the black mage that had been helping her. She then looked around and noticed that there were different people as well. They were fair haired and had … tails. _What a strange village! I have never seen people like these before! _Without saying another word, they reached her carriage. The chocobos were sleeping soundly, crouched down in their place. The mage looked at them excitedly and pointed to them._

"_Oh! How cute!" he said happily. "May I pet them?"_

_Electra laughed._

"_You sure can … Mister …" her voice trailed off, giving him a hint to tell his name._

"_275," he answered happily._

A number?_ Electra wondered to herself. _Wow. These people are really strange. Yet … they're really nice.

"_Oh, yes, my name is a number," 275 said sheepishly. "It's strange … but that was the only name my former master ever gave to me."_

"_Okay," Electra said slowly. She then smiled. "I'm Electra of Mycenae," she replied._

"_Mycenae?" the mage said quizzically. "I have never heard of it before."_

"_Oh, it's a small …" she was about to say "kingdom" but caught herself in time. " … village. Not really well know, actually."_

"_I see," 275 chuckled. "Well, anyway, it is good to see children here," he said. "It is a shame though, that our Vivi couldn't meet you and your brother."_

Vivi?

"_Who is he?" Electra asked, curiously._

"_He is probably close to you age. He's all of nine years old," the mage said sadly. "However, I'm afraid that he only has a few more days to live. His body will stop working soon."_

_It was strange to Electra that the mage had avoided to use the word "die", but she kept her thoughts to herself. With that, she looked inside the coach to make sure that everything was intact. It was. From the appearance of the village, it seemed that there were not bandits to worry of because of the barrier that protected them. The people were mostly keeping to themselves and barely minded her. Still, she took them as kindly folk. Electra got out of the carriage and nodded a "thank you" to 275. Suddenly, she remembered the words of her brother._

Please put my body to good use when I'm gone.

"_If you could please tell me where this boy is sir," she said instinctively, "that would be very kind."_

_The mage nodded and took her to a small hut at the end of the village. They both peered in the window and looked at the small body of the sleeping boy. Electra observed that he, too, was a black mage. 275 gently touched her shoulder, motioning to her that he had to go back to the inn. She silently told him "goodbye" and immediately turned her attention to the sleeping boy. She turned the knob of the door and quietly walked in._

_When she closed the door behind her, it seemed that she also shut out all the noise from the rest of the world. The boy's eyes were in slits but it was obvious he was doing his best to stay alive. Electra crept near him and peered down at him. It was strange that these black mages were so discreet and even from above, their hats covered the entirety of their face. Her heart sank when she watched him breathe slowly … as if he was struggling for air. Still, he appeared peaceful and it seemed that he would die a sweet, painless death._

_Something was wrong though. Electra placed her hand on his chest and chanted a short spell. Her eyes widened in surprise._

"_Why! His soul is still healthy!" she gasped. "He … he'll die prematurely!"_

_She then peered closer and ran her fingers down his chest until she found the area where his heart was. His heartbeat was, indeed, slow but there was something else different about him._

"_I wonder what 275 meant when he said he'd 'stop working' soon," she murmured. "Does that mean … he was never truly alive? But how can that be? There's a soul in here!" She suddenly remembered. "Yes! It seems this body was created from the mist!"_

_Curiosity suddenly hit her. She looked outside to see if anyone else was looking. She waited for a passerby to go on her way. Sweat started to develop on her brow when she prepared herself for what she was about to do. With a quick movement, she grabbed the hat from the boy's head and gasped._

"_Oh my god!"_

_What she revealed was a regular looking face. Since the hat was no longer on, the boy's eyes didn't glow as strongly as it did in the darkness. Her body trembled when she studied his face. She clutched the hat tightly, almost bending the rim._

_He looked just like Orestes. He was a perfect body match!_

_She carefully placed the hat on as it once was and backed away. Have any of the other mages taken off their hats? She was sure they never did since they didn't seem to recognize Orestes when they came in. In fact, it might have even been sacrilegious for them to remove their hats. She looked outside again for onlookers and was glad that there were none. With that, she quickly removed herself from the hut and headed back to the hotel._

_As she continued back, her brother's words started ringing in her ears again. She felt her heart tighten again. Soon, she was at the lobby of the tiny inn again, facing 275. He peered up at her and chuckled to himself._

"_So, what do you think?" he asked._

"_I feel really … sad," Electra replied. "Are you sure he only has a few days to live?"_

_The mage nodded._

"_Yes … we thought he would live longer but the mist is disappearing faster than we expected. It won't be long before our own bodies stop working. He, however, has lived five times longer than any of us have."_

"_What do you mean?" Electra pressed._

"_Our bodies were created from this very mist," 275 continued. "Without it, we lose our energy and stop working. It's like a battery, almost, if you will. That boy is our origin. He is the very prototype that helped create us all. Though he is the smallest, he is the most powerful black mage there is. In fact, we believed for a moment that he would actually reach adulthood. He has already spawned some of his own by giving a part of his soul away to create newer types of black mages that do not need the mist to live. However, it took too much on his body, it seems."_

Despite all that, his soul is still healthy nonetheless! _Electra thought to herself. _That means that he's quite powerful … perhaps even more powerful than Orestes even! _She looked back at the door to their room where the empty shell was._

"_Please, could you tell me more about him, sir?" Electra requested._

"_Oh, he's such a sweet boy!" the mage said sadly. "He was raised by a Qu you know?"_

A what? _But Electra held her tongue and pretended that she knew what he was talking about._

"_Yes, in a cave near Treno. The Qu called himself Vivi's grandfather even. Judging by that, he has lived far longer than any of us could ever live."_

_Electra nodded._

"_I see," she said softly. "Well, if I may, I'm going to retire to my room for a bit. My brother and I have to leave soon."_

_The mage nodded at her and she quickly ran to her room. She locked the door behind her and closed the drapes of the room. She gazed at the sleeping shell and went to sit next to him. Like expected, he continued to breathe calmly and his body was lukewarm, but he was nothing without a soul. Electra ran a finger in his jet black hair, almost shocked at the identical look he shared with the mage boy. A thought arose in her mind._

I can … save that boy.

_At first, she didn't even want to consider it. The magic of soul extraction was deemed to be dark magic to the rest of the world. In fact, the magic was forbidden to the use of commoners. She hated the magic, for it was the very spell used that took her brother away from her. Her mother had killed his soul and never even brought it to the mirror world. Still, she was one of the few people that were capable to cast the spell. It was the only thing she ever excelled in over her brother. Of course, his magical skills had been above hers. Still, that particular spell was one she had inherited from her mother._

_Electra was good at casting the spell but had never in her life tried it on any human being. She had killed monsters who tried to attack the kingdom and was always adapt at it. Using the spell on a human being was the exact same process. It was seen as immoral to many …_

But I can save that boy, _she though again. _And there's a full chance I'd succeed since they are a perfect match.

_The boy had no right to die. His soul was still healthy. Though the other villagers had believed that he had drained his soul too much, they had no idea that souls could recover. He still had the willpower to live, but his body couldn't do anything about it. Electra thought about her decision again and she thought about Orestes too. Perhaps she had the very right to do what she had to do. The boy's body wouldn't die on the spot, that was how it was with Orestes's body. Still, there would be no soul left and he would die as an empty shell. However, with a few years, they boy could live freely again and live a longer, more true life. In fact, he could probably finally _live.

"_I'll do it!" Electra exclaimed to herself. "Yes, I'll do that now! I'll grant Orestes's wish and I'll give this boy another chance to fully live!"_

_The process of extracting a soul from the body was simple. All she had to do was concentrate on the soul and gently pull it from the body. To transfer the soul into another body was difficult. The two bodies had to be exactly the same for it to turn out perfectly. Of course, that was impossible since no two bodies were ever the exact same. If there were differences, the soul had to get used to the body … and it was long process. Even if she succeeded in transferring the mage's soul to Orestes's body, it was unknown how many years the boy would have to sleep in order to get full accustomed. Perhaps he'd need five years or so since he was still young. Still, he would definitely live longer and there was the fact that his soul was quite powerful. The process might even take a shorter time. Still, it was a chance worth taking and Electra was then determined to go through the plan._

_Fully decided, she placed a hand on the boy's chest and closed her eyes. A dark cloud surrounded the two and she started to chant._

"_Oh soul, sweet soul! Come to me! Trust me and let me guide away from this world!"_

_She slowly opened her eyes and found a golden ball of light in front of her. No doubt, it was the soul of the mage. She gently reached for it but it shyly moved away from her. She smiled and beckoned it to come to her. Souls were always uneasy when they were extracted from the body. In a way, it was kind of cute. It took a few minutes for the soul to trust her presence. Usually, the soul would feel like it was in a dream. Direct contact would wake the person up and the spell would break. Electra gently poked the soul and directed it to Orestes's body. Before long, the room flashed a golden light and the dark aura disappeared._

_Electra stood up and opened the drapes to let the lights in again. She looked down at Orestes's body and smiled. The color to his face had returned at last! Once again, he was considered to be "alive". She carefully brought her hands to the boy's eyelids and gently opened them. To her surprise, his eyes were no longer white … but gold. She was glad that his eyes were closed, or else they would glow into the night when they would travel later. She walked out of the room to find a bored 275 reading a book._

"_Hello Mr. 275!" she said cheerfully._

"_Ah, hello, Miss Electra!" he answered with the same amount of cheerfulness. "How is your brother?"_

"_He seems to be doing a lot better," Electra said with a smile. "He's not as pale as before."_

"_I see," the mage answered. "How can I help you now, Miss?"_

"_I need some directions … to Treno," Electra replied, trying not to look to suspicious."_

_Without another word, the mage pulled out a map for her to see. He pointed out the passage that connected the continent to the other through the gargant roo. Electra didn't like the idea of losing the contents of the carriage. The mage then had another idea._

"_Oh yes, there are boats in a deserted village called Madain Sari," he suggested. "I can send someone to travel with you and bring you there. It is a lot safer for us to travel now that the mist is gone."_

"_I would appreciate that!" Electra said brightly._

"_Then … I suppose I would be happy to bring you there myself," 275 said. "Will you be ready by tomorrow?"_

"_Yes, sir!" Electra praised. She curtsied. "If I may, I would like to pick up some supplies then. I'll see you later!"_

_Of course, that was what she claimed to do. What Electra wanted to do was see if Vivi's body was still all right. She hurried to the small hut and peered into the window. The body was obviously sleeping as she could see his chest moving up and down. Unfortunately, that body was now and empty shell. Vivi was fast asleep in Orestes's sleeping body._

_Glad with the results, Electra turned back and headed towards the shops. A new hope rose within her and she knew that … perhaps one day, her brother would bring peace back to their kingdom._

"We stopped at Madain Sari and I took one of the boats. The carriage managed to fit and we sailed south to this continent. I followed the mountain range and ended up in the cave where Vivi was brought up. I left the body there … leaving it for the best. I watched him from a distance in Treno sometimes. When I came here to Lindblum earlier this month, that was when I was forwarned of the situation."

Electra sighed as she finally finished her story. Zidane and Garnet looked at her intently, full of interest in what she just said. Electra opened her mirror compact and revealed unlike the one they possessed, it indeed, had two mirrors.

"So … this mirror we possess belongs to Orestes?" Zidane asked.

"Yes," Electra replied. "My mother most likely left it there when she last visited the village. Unlike mine, Orestes only had one mirror in his. Mine has two because I possess the give of conjuring. It's necessary since we would know if the soul was sent to the mirror world of the living souls."

"What is that, exactly?" Garnet inquired.

"Ah … it is a term that you folks of the upper realm are not aware of," Electra grinned.

"You mean … you're kingdom … is that of the lower realm?" Zidane asked, wide eyed.

"Indeed it is," Electra laughed. "Of course, it's a lot more grim to think about than it was before. To answer your question, your majesty, the mirror land of the living souls is where a live soul is sent. A living soul is a soul of one that still has a living body existing in the world. Once a soul dies, of course, you know where that goes; it depends on your interpretation." She then became more serious. "However, it is a crime to commit the spell to kill a soul. The magic is strictly non-consentable, as you might have concluded. Still, I had some sort of consent when Orestes asked me to grant his body to one that needed it the most. The one you call Vivi Ornitier was one that desperately needed a body. I happened to be there at the right place at the right time. Since he received a body, it is considered a sort of exception from being a sin."

"Has it been done before?" Garnet asked.

"We have switched two living souls into each others' bodies, yes," Electra admitted. "Those are also non-consentable. This was a sort of special case. It benefitted Vivi since he was almost doomed to die prematurely. It benefitted my brother's body, who was an empty shell anyway."

"Rules are meant to be bended, as they say," Zidane said with a little amusement. "But you casted the spell unselfishly, and that's what made it acceptable."

"I suppose," Electra sighed. "But despite all that, it is an unnatural phenomena. It is still forbidden and I do not ever want to use it again." She looked down at her lap in shame.

"What's the matter?" Garnet asked with concern.

"You see … that is the very reason you should protect him," Electra begged. "My mother knows that I granted him a soul … she knows that the body of her son is walking around again. With that, she has convinced the Regent to sign a warrant for his arrest. Of course, it is normally acceptable. He is considered a walking abomination and is using a body that does not belong to him and that can still be considered socially unacceptable. That is why … Cid was ordered to kill him."

"Uncle Cid?" Garnet gasped.

"Yes," Electra replied, "and it is Eiko Carol's goal to kill him."

They were all silent once again. Zidane pounded his fist on the table, his suspicions of Eiko had finally proven themselves. He rubbed his temples, since he felt them throb.

"But … this is Vivi," Zidane groaned. "This is Vivi … her friend."

"Yes, and she has definitely become hesitant knowing that," Electra replied. "But I still do not trust her. That is why I beg you to keep an eye out for her."

"So … it is either Vivi dies …" Garnet murmured, " … or this whole city dies." She shook her head. "It's a terrible dilemma!"

"Before she knew that Vivi was Orestes, she was determined to hunt him down herself," Electra explained. "Though her feelings have gotten in the way, I still don't trust that she'll decline on the idea to kill him."

"You've been watching her all this time?" Garnet inquired.

"Yes," Electra answered. "I want to protect the body. That boy has the right to live. Orestes already had his life taken away. I'm not going to let anyone take Vivi's life away so prematurely. Not when he's finally faced the experience of fully living. As I said, I made a promise to my brother to put his body to good use. My mother fears him. That is true. The oracle stated that she would be killed by his own hands … and his body is living and walking."

Zidane then looked up at her.

"Wait … if we take Vivi to her … then we can … destroy her, can't we?" he asked.

"Zidane!" Garnet exclaimed in shock.

"Don't get me wrong, your majesty," Zidane said. "You see, this lady has done wrong. It's literally overkill. She has committed the crimes countless times and she has taken the bodies of the soldiers in her hands. If we can stop her … we can stop this whole mess."

"That is true," Electra replied. "She is planning on using the bodies as slaves … to create her army. My mother is powerful and her dark magic is unbelievable. She can control bodies; something people in our kingdom could do for centuries. If we stop her, we will free the souls in the mirrors. With her gone, it would break the mirrors and send the souls back to their bodies. It is not only the Lindblum soldiers that had their bodies stolen. It is in other parts of the world. You might have seen other people in the mirror too."

"That's true," Garnet agreed. She then looked at Zidane. "Well, that is all the information we needed. Zidane, I believe that Electra has been here long enough. I'll be right there to let you out."

Soon, they heard the door unlock and Garnet stepped in. They all walked out and noticed that it was already night time. Electra looked out the window, happy to be able to see the sky again.

"I've already cleared customs with the guards and said that we'd fly out for a little bit," Garnet said with a smile. "We'll fly to Treno so you'll be in a safer place. As for Vivi, we'll take care of him for you."

A few hours later, Zidane and Garnet stood alone in the bridge as they watched a lonely, walking Electra on her way to the city of endless night. Zidane sighed, tired of the long conversation that they just had.

"Now … what are we going to do now?" Zidane moaned. "What about Eiko?"

"I don't know," Garnet replied. "We're stuck between two different things. I hate the fact that we know something that Eiko doesn't want to know. I'm sure that the reason Uncle Cid asked for us is the fact that he wants to prevent Vivi's death. I'm sure he really wants us to find this … Clytemnaestra."

"I'm sure … but Eiko is a rather justified person," he said. "As much as I hate to say it now, she's a good girl."

"Are we going to tell her about this?" Garnet asked.

"I'm sure she's not going to believe us … not after what she was told," Zidane sighed. "After all, Electra almost killed her … twice."

"So I'm imagining that you're just going to let it play out?" Garnet grinned.

"What?" Zidane said with a teasing smile. "I was thinking you thought the same idea."

"You're so good at reading my mind," Garnet chuckled. "But … what can we do? We're stuck in the middle and it would be bad to take sides." She then thought to herself for a moment before speaking. Finally, she said, "To be honest, I think that Eiko will discover the truth in no time."

"Wow," Zidane hummed. "You definitely sound like you're having fun with this."

"I am," Garnet teased. "It's probably your influence."

"Crap," Zidane hissed. "Well … what about Vivi?"

"I think Electra wanted us to keep that from him too," Garnet answered. "After all … it is his destiny … he's going to have to find that out for himself."

Zidane glanced up from the controls and smirked.

"So … I suppose you're willing to help me push a few buttons?" he said coyly.

"You're supposing right," Garnet laughed.

"God, I feel so evil doing this!" he sighed.

"Actually," Garnet said dreamily, "I feel like we're doing something amazing."

With that they didn't say another word and the airship zoomed back to Lindblum

AN: I think I need to dub this chapter: "The Chapter that Drove Rae Crazy for the Entire Weekend". Yes. Like I mentioned in the previous chapter, this will clear up almost everything that confused everyone. Anyway, I'm so glad I finished this chapter … since it was one of those necessary plot chapters. It took an entire weekend for me to be fully satisfied with it. Fortunately, if you finished reading this chapter, you will now be treated to the stuff everyone wants to read! More action! More fluff! More of the stuff that you actually want to read … and you don't have to think too much about it! Mwahaha! New art will be uploaded on Tuesday, August 07, 2007 at 7:00! It's not Zidane, unfortunately, but Electra and Orestes! Zidane will come soon though. I need to color him still! I know! I'll upload him on the next chapter!

Coming up: The tenth chapter-versary! It's full of sap. Pretty much. This one will be posted no later than August 10, 2007! Why later than usual? Because I love you all for reading it this far! I wanna write something good for you all!

Footnote: the curse of the House of Atreus actually started with Tantalus! Tantalus was a mortal who was really on good terms with the gods. He then thought he was just as great as the gods! So, he served his own children to the gods. That's what really caused the curse. Now, I didn't mention that in the text since … well … Tantalus is something completely different in FFIX. You can wiki it or look in a mythology site for more info!

Standard disclaimers (chapters one and two) apply!

That was too long of an author's note. I won't make it this long ever again … until the last chapter!


	10. The Discovery

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Discovery

"Yes, Vivi is actually dead," Eiko said to Cid that same moment in the evening. "I found his grave and it's verified from the villagers that he died nine years ago."

They were in Cid's quarters alone. Cid looked at her with a tired face and groaned miserably. He was sitting on his bed while Eiko stood in front of the closed doors.

"Then we must work quickly, Eiko," he replied softly."You know that I hate to comply to Clytemaestra by killing an innocent life. That would be too difficult to bear … especially since your target is Vivi."

"Father, you know what will happen if we don't do what we're told," Eiko muttered.

"Eiko!" Cid said in shock. "Do you not realize what you're saying?"

"I know what I'm saying!" Eiko exclaimed, feeling her voice quiver with sadness. "I … hate this all, Father! I hate this! Our kingdom is at stake here! If Vivi dies though … I don't know what I'm going to do!"

Cid hated it as much as she did. For the past month, he had seen nothing but seen her cry of sadness, shame, and guilt. If there was anyone that was having it rough, it was surely his daughter. He also felt pity for the former black mage. From Eiko's descriptions, it appeared that Vivi finally had the chance to feel a state of being … something that he might have lost in the past. However, he himself knew that Vivi was a walking sin. The fact that he was walking in a different body was unnatural and wrong itself. He buried his head in his hands, trying to think of the best decision.

"Eiko," he murmured, "listen … a life is a life. I also … don't trust her. I don't trust her at all. She might even kill us either way."

Eiko's head perked up at the thought.

"You saw what she did!" Eiko argued.

"We both did," Cid agreed. "There is too much to fear. What we saw was real and it's something that we have to take account for. However, please understand that … perhaps maybe we should look into this further. We don't know why she wants Vivi killed. Whatever the reason … there shouldn't be a reason to kill a person who has committed nothing wrong. Please, Eiko, remember who Vivi is."

"I know!" Eiko cried, tears streaming down her cheeks by that point. "I don't … want him to die! I don't!"

"Then surely we can't assassinate him," Cid resolved. "Please, understand that it's not in anyone's heart to kill an innocent life. That is why we need to investigate this further. I dislike leaving everyone else in the dark as well. Of course, it is mainly for their protection. Still, we must look further into this. We have less than six months. There is still time to save every single life at stake." He breathed. "Including Vivi's."

Eiko bowed and left the room. Her tears had dried but her heart was still full of sorrow. For years, she had envied Garnet's position as queen. It was only recently that she realized the pain that was included with the whole ordeal. One day, she would be her father's successor. Yet, the whole responsibility was starting to go to her. She understood how her father felt, but it was most likely due to a biased opinion. Surely if Vivi wasn't the one with the stolen body, the person would have been executed. After all, the girl was still on the wanted list.

She paused in the middle of the hallway and looked at one of the clocks. It was already passed nine. She decided to take the time to go to her room and rest for the evening. By the time in the morning, they were scheduled to depart once more and explore the northern continent. Obviously, there was a clue there and perhaps the bodies of the soldiers were located there too. They had needed a rest and a restock of supplies for the journey. It was most likely that they would not come back for a while longer. She sighed and walked to the stairs.

"No!"

The sound of a cry stopped her in her tracks. Eiko looked around and noticed that she was standing next to one of the guest rooms doors. Vivi's room. Without hesitation, she edged closer to the door. From the crack on the floor, the lights were turned off. She knocked twice and waited for a response. There was only silence. Starting to worry, she entered in without warning and looked around the dark room. There was a bulge in the bed and it was shaking. Obviously, Vivi was already fast asleep … and he wasn't sleeping well.

"Vivi!" Eiko gasped. She ran over to his side and found that he was crying. His forehead was also covered in sweat and his bangs were damp and sticking to his skin. "Hey! Are you all right?"

"Mother! Stop!" he cried.

Taken aback by the strange response, Eiko jumped as he yelled out, almost stumbling in her position. _Mother? _She pondered. Vivi tossed and turned while clutching the sheets violently. She watched him in shock as he started to sob. Whatever dream he was having, it was definitely a nightmare. Without thinking, she sat down at the edge of his bed and lowered her head near his. She brushed away his damp hair from his face and gently touched her forehead to his. Without a doubt, he had a fever. She took his hand and held it tightly, to see if he'd calm down.

"No!" he gasped. "Electra! Please, don't look!" With that, he squeezed her hand tighter. Eiko felt her cheeks heat up at the response. "Electra, get out of here! Don't look!"

"Electra?" Eiko echoed to herself.

"Electra … sister … please … go away! Don't go in!"

"Vivi …" Eiko murmured.

"_Electra!" _Vivi shrieked.

Suddenly, he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Her body had already grown hot as her palms pressed against his lean, yet muscled chest. She shuddered as she felt his rapidly beating heart and his feverish body heat. Her heart started racing but she didn't bother to resist him. Vivi's fingers started going through her hair, messing up the pigtails, but she didn't care. She pressed her head against his chest and savored the heat he caused in her.

"I'm sorry, Electra," he sobbed. "But … father is … father is dead now. Mother killed him."

"Vivi!" Eiko gasped. "Please! Wake up! You're having a nightmare."

They stayed in that position for ten minutes. Vivi kept stroking her hair and the hair bands were already pulled out by then. Eiko brought her arms around his neck and hugged him, as if to draw him even closer. Obviously, by then, she couldn't even consider to kill him anymore. Her heart was about to explode and for some reason, she felt as if she would overflow. His body eventually stopped shaking from the sobs and he laid still.

"Agh … huh?"

Eiko felt herself being lifted and was face to face with a bewildered Vivi. Though his pale face was paler from the moonlight, it was obvious that he was probably blushing since he seemed flustered. They sat on the middle of the bed, facing each other with perplexed visages. Vivi covered his face to hide his embarrassment.

"Vivi, are you all right?" Eiko said as calmly as she could. "You were having a nightmare … and you have a fever."

"A fever?" he repeated. "Ah … yes, it appears so. But … what are you doing in my room?"

Eiko felt like she was going to faint from the embarrassment but realized that she couldn't lie to him.

"I heard you screaming in your sleep," she replied. "I came in to check on you."

"I see," he said with a slight chuckle. "Well, thanks."

Like before, Eiko found herself entranced with the moonlight over his body. He was wearing his sleeveless gray sweater and, surprisingly his jeans. They had been washed and cleaned earlier that day and it seemed that he didn't have anything else to wear. For the first time, she realized that, although he was already eighteen, he still retained an enigmatic and childlike quality to him. It was probably due to his soft smile. His glowing eyes almost resembled that of an owl in the moonlight. Somehow, it seemed as if he was infused with nature itself.

"Are you all right?" Eiko asked again quietly.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I dreamt something horrible. There was a boy and his sister … their mother killed their father in front of them." He sighed. "I've seen a lot of death, growing up … but, for some reason, I felt everything. I felt … really sad." He looked out at the window. "Sad … and angry."

A single tear trailed down his cheek but it was obvious that he wasn't actually crying. Eiko leaned forward and gently wiped it away with her forefinger. Vivi caught her hand before it withdrew and held it to his face. He gazed at her and smiled. Eiko smiled back, this time, without any sadness. It was probably the first sincere, and honest smile she had given him ever since they met again. In fact, such a smile made her look prettier than anything he had ever seen in his life.

"Vivi," Eiko said. "Let's get out of here! Let's go out in the city!"

"Huh?" Vivi piped. "Well … if you insist … but, don't we have to go somewhere tomorrow?"

"It doesn't matter!" Eiko replied happily. "Let's go! Just the two of us! Let's have fun! The late market in the Industrial District should be open by now!"

"You're allowed to go there late at night?" Vivi asked in awe.

"Well, sure," Eiko said brightly. "Father doesn't really mind … I mean, I took care of myself when I was only six, right?"

Vivi recalled the memory of a little girl stealing food from the gnome village. He then remembered Madain Sari, the village of moogles. He chuckled at the thoughts.

"Well," he grinned, "I couldn't say you were by yourself exactly."

"Oh, come on!" Eiko giggled. "Get dressed! It's chilly here at night so bring that coat of yours."

They silently walked out of the room together in the quiet hallway. Eiko looked around for any sleeping researchers, making sure not to awaken them. Vivi followed behind her, not saying a word. For some reason, he felt a little giddy just then. Why was that?

"Eiko, are you sure this is okay?" he asked.

"It's fine!" Eiko reassured him. "See, none of the guards will stop us! Hello!"

Several guards looked up at her as they neared the exit gates. They smiled and waved at Eiko as the two walked out without struggle.

"Ah … I see," Vivi chuckled. "You do get your freedom around here, don't you?"

"Why not?" Eiko said a little crossly. "Father's free to go as he pleases!"

_Right, about that …_ Vivi thought to himself.

"Of course, you're not going to be bothered while you're out?" he asked.

"Everyone's used to seeing me. They don't bother me either," Eiko said casually. "Plus, there are guards all over the city anyway. If anyone tries to bother me, it can't go unnoticed."

"Oh," Vivi squeaked, "So, that's how it goes."

Eiko pulled his arm excitedly and dragged him to the cable cars. Vivi reluctantly followed her, but only mockingly. He was keeping his excitement inside … like how he usually did. Eiko punched in their destination and they waited patiently in the car together. Vivi looked out and watched the city in awe. He had been entranced by their lights but it was the first time he ever got to fly within them. There were buggies trafficked on the highway as usual, but there were also so many people around. Lindblum was known for its nightlife after all, especially in the Theater District. Of course, that was not where they were planning to go.

"I'm so happy I'm not going alone this time," Eiko said happily.

Vivi smiled at her, glad to see her truly happy for once. It was like it was nine years back when she was always bursting with energy. He remembered fondly how it was always difficult to keep up with her since he had been so clumsy, tripping over things constantly. Still, she would always beckon him, whether he liked it or not. At that moment, he was glad to experience it once again. Still, it was different somehow. The giddiness in him still didn't go away and he felt his heart pounding as if it wanted to leap out of his chest. It was as if something had awakened in him that had always been sleeping in him.

The car came to a stop and they found themselves at the station. Eiko stood up and lead the way outside to the crowded area. The Industrial District was one of the few places in Lindblum that still had a full market for pedestrians to roam freely. There were all types of people there and the smell of food from the vendors was everywhere. The only smell that wrinkled Vivi's nose was that of the gysahl pickles. It wasn't a horrible smell, but it sure was strong. Eiko ran her hand down his wrist and enclosed her hand with his.

"Ah," he gasped in surprise. "Oh … yeah … hold on, I don't want to get lost."

Eiko flushed at her boldness. She stopped in her tracks, realizing that she had been dragging him along so hastily. Vivi stood beside her and bent down to face her directly. His golden eyes glowed, almost mesmerizing her on the spot.

"I'm sorry, Vivi," she said in a flustered manner. "I'm too excited for my own good, aren't I?"

"It's okay," Vivi said. "It's just …"

"What?" Eiko asked quizzically. She then looked around and noticed that people were glancing at them with smiles. Her hand was still gripping on his and she suddenly realized what the problem was. "Ah! I'm sorry!"

Eiko released his hand and turned her head away. She was probably as red as a tomato at that point. Vivi chuckled to himself, thinking of how adorable she looked he then patted her on the head.

"You didn't tie up your hair!" he whispered. He then flushed again. "Um, I did that, didn't I?"

Eiko hadn't realized that her straight, blue-violet hair was running free on her shoulders. She brought a hand up to her hair and grabbed some of the locks. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten to tie up her hair. Of course, no one was ever used to her with her hair down. It was probably a good thing so that they would remain unnoticed in the streets. She then immediately remembered how the strands had gotten loose in the first place. The heat of his body had been enough to burn itself in her memory. Suddenly, that was all she could think about. Worried of her silence, Vivi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing!" Eiko replied. "I'm fine!"

"Are you worried about your hair?" he asked. "I'm really sorry about that!"

"It's okay," Eiko said softly to him.

"You look nice though," he reassured her.

Of course it did more than reassure her. Her heart raced again and she clutched her chest, trying to calm herself. She then started walking and Vivi walked right beside her, keeping an eye on her. Eiko then noticed that it really was chilly during the night and hugged her body close. Vivi didn't notice her, and she was glad he didn't. They were finally out together and she wanted him to have as much fun that night. She looked around and noticed a familiar vendor. She tugged on Vivi's sleeve and pointed in the particular direction.

"Let's go there!" she said happily.

"Sure!" Vivi replied.

Together, they walked to the booth and the woman smiled at the spirited girl.

"Miss Eiko!" she said cheerfully. "My favorite customer of all! Ah! Is this-? Could he be?" the woman looked at Vivi carefully with a grin. "Your boyfriend, Miss?"

"B-boyfriend?" Eiko repeated.

"Well, I am a boy, and her friend," Vivi replied casually.

"Oh," the woman said, a little disappointment. "Such a handsome fellow though!"

The lights in the booth were bright so Vivi's eyes didn't glow at the time. Eiko leaned over the glass and looked at the contents displayed in front of her. They were all delicate barrettes for the hair and they sparkled and gleamed in front of her. They were all priced very high, but she was always able to afford it through mail. All were made out of white gold or silver and some were made of gemstones and pearls. Eiko loved to buy things for her hair and she loved the ones the vendor had available. All were one of a kind so that made them even more unique. Vivi watched as Eiko peered over the baubles. He sighed, finding her astonishment amusing.

"Wow! Are those pearls?" Eiko asked.

She pointed to a simple barrette. It was composed of three, fairly large pearls that gleamed in the light. They were white pearls but their color changed at different angles. Despite their simplicity, they were still fairly pricey to most people. Eiko thought about how they might look in her hair and she knew she wanted them.

"Can I … order them?" she asked.

"Oh, those?" the lady said. "I'm sorry, but … no one can reserve them. They're frightfully rare pearls, as you can see."

Eiko never carried money with her. Usually, the vendors would let her decide on something and she would send a palace check in the mail. Of course, if she couldn't have them, it wasn't too big of a deal. She nodded her head.

"Thanks!" she smiled.

"And thank you for looking," the lady replied and bowed her head.

They then reached the water fountain. They both took a seat and listened to the sound of the water. Eiko sighed, calmed by the sound and turned to Vivi. They were almost in complete darkness for the exception of the crescent moon. Since they were so high up from sea level, the moon seemed bigger from anywhere else. Vivi's golden eyes glowed brilliantly in the dark. They noticed that there were no other people there since people were more occupied with the market. Vivi stood up.

"Ah, Eiko, I'm going to have to use the men's room for a moment. Are you all right to wait here?" he asked.

Eiko looked around and noticed that several guards were nearby. She nodded. Vivi smiled and left her alone there. She felt a little said that he was gone, and a little foolish since he was only going to be gone for a short while. She gazed at the moon and looked for any stars that were present. She found one, the bright North Star. She closed her eyes and murmured a wish to herself. A breeze came in, making her realize that she was cold again. She hugged herself, trying to keep warm.

The warmth that she felt with Vivi still lingered in her mind. That wasn't the first time that he held her. It was the third. She then thought about the time he held her when it thundered. Yes, the memories came up again. He had calmed her and comforted her then. Of course, that was the duty of a friend. She was sure that Zidane and Garnet would have done the same thing. It was just that he had helped her up after she had been attacked. That was the second time. The first time was when he rescued her … when they first met. She had acted so cold against him because of her mistrust. Immediately, she felt guilty. Her father was right. She had only focused on her mission and forgotten about her feelings.

_My feelings?_

What was she feelings exactly. Eiko pressed her hand against her chest again and felt her own heartbeat. From the very beginning, Vivi had held her. He protected her, despite her suspicions of him. It didn't matter to him how she treated him. It was obvious that he cared for her and didn't hesitate to guard her when she needed it. Every time she ever spoke to him, he was happy. She wanted to protect that happiness as much as she could … before the time would come to kill him.

Her heart ached at the thought. She didn't want to kill him. She never wanted to! She couldn't because she -!

"Oh my god …!" Eiko gasped to herself.

His name started echoing in her brain and she closed her eyes. Yes, he was important to her. As much as she was against it, she realized that she wanted to save him. She rejected the idea of killing him altogether and only thought about saving him. If, somehow, she had to give up the lives of others, she would do it. If, for some reason, she had to give up the world, she would do it. For the first time in a long time, she was thinking selfishly. Of course, she knew that they were not the true solution to anything. She finally became determined to save him. No, she would save everyone! She clenched her teeth and a new type of fire burned in her heart. Yes, she would do as her father told her. Otherwise, she would choose to die with Vivi and go with him to the mirror world.

"Eiko?"

He had returned to her then. Eiko looked up at him and smiled. She shivered again, still not forgetting about the cold. She stood up and nodded.

"Well, you're back!" she said, teeth chattering.

"Yes," he replied.

The guards, knowing that he returned, finally left the area. They were alone and it seemed that there was no other sound besides the shifting of their bodies. Eiko swallowed, suddenly nervous that she was with him. She had just been comfortable a few moments before, but her discovery suddenly made it the opposite.

"Ah," she stammered. "What … do you wanna do now?"

"Oh," Vivi said nervously, "can I ask you to do something?"

"Sure …?" Eiko agreed.

"Just … hold out your hand and close your eyes," he said.

Eiko did as she was told and held out her hand. His own hand grasped her and held it tightly. She enclosed her hand with his and their fingers intertwined. He was warm, and she savored the feeling once more. When he let go, she opened her eyes and gazed at him. She closed her hand and noticed that there was something there. She looked down at her palm and noticed the familiar looking set of pearls resting on it.

"You … you bought …" she was lost for words. "You didn't have to!"

"Well, you were drawn to it," he said awkwardly, trying to force a calm smile. "And … I … I just thought …"

"It's … very expensive!" Eiko continued to mutter in disbelief. "Really, this is too much!"

Vivi looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I thought you would look pretty with it," he finally said. "No … I take that back. I thought that it would look pretty with _you_ wearing it."

His remark caught her off guard. Eiko gaped at him with surprise, her hand still outstretched. She didn't know what to say or how to act. It was quite possible that he had blown his pocket money just for her. She wanted to return it but she knew that it might have been an insulting thing to do.

"Thank you … I … really … thank you," she stammered.

They were quiet again. Vivi shifted uncomfortably and sat down again. Eiko took a seat next to him and clutched the small barrette in her hands, as if to absorb it. He had given her something. Did that mean …?

"Can … can I put it on you?" he suddenly asked.

"Please," Eiko murmured. "Please do."

Vivi carefully parted her hair sideways and clipped the barrette at one side, almost like Garnet's usually hair do. The feeling of his large hands in her hair was nice, even when he had previously messed it up before. Eiko closed her eyes, realizing that his fingers were in longer than they had to. In fact, he was playing with her hair now and she didn't want him to stop.

"It looks pretty on you," he said bravely.

Eiko nodded and shivered again. That time, he noticed and looked at her in concern.

"Oh, are you cold?" he asked.

"A little," Eiko answered. "I was so excited that I forgot to bring my coat … and I was the one that suggested that you bring yours."

"Ah," Vivi nodded. He then inched closer to her and unbuttoned his overcoat. He then stood up and gently pulled her up as well. He circled his coat around them and pulled her close. "There! Now, you won't catch a cold!"

That was the fourth time he held her … and that was twice in one day. Eiko felt herself blushing again. She then buried her head in his strong chest and clutched the fabric of his sweater. She inhaled his scent and found herself enjoying it. Vivi tightened his grip on her.

"Vivi?" Eiko sighed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I …"

The words couldn't come out and she cursed herself for doing so. Instead, she started crying. This time, it was not of sadness but of happiness. Her heart ached for him. She wanted him more than anything else in the world. More than a mere barrette especially.

"Eiko," Vivi murmured. "I need to ask you something ..."

"Of course," she whispered.

"Can I … can I love you, Eiko?" he asked. "Would it be all right if I did?"

The question seemed ridiculous at first but she felt her heart leap again. She looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. She was smiling at him despite that. She hugged him.

"It … it would be all right," she replied, "because I love you too."

Vivi smiled, obviously, he wasn't feeling awkward anymore. Instead, he raised her chin and looked deep her eyes. She was fully entranced by their glow and didn't bother to look away that time.

"Hmm … can I ask you do another thing for me?" he asked with a grin.

"Um, sure?" Eiko said.

"Could you just stay still … just like that?" he requested with a bit of shyness.

Eiko obeyed and stood extremely still for him. However, she wasn't prepared either way. Vivi leaned closer to her face, still holding her chin. Their lips met, sending electricity down their bodies. Eiko closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of feeling a man's lips on her own for the first time. It was a long, slow kiss and her lips parted to accept his. She didn't care if she suffocated. Instead, she encircled her arms around his neck and he gripped her waist tightly in return. At the same time, they finally withdrew and looked at each other shyly.

"Um," Eiko breathed. "Wow."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Vivi chuckled. "Wow."

They both laughed and Vivi embraced her again. That time, there was no sense of shyness. In fact, their shyness disappeared altogether. He was finally holding her in a loving embrace. Never before had she felt the ecstasy of sharing such a feeling with someone else. Eiko ran her hands down his chest as he started to play with her hair again. Vivi was a little aggravated that he was so tall his head couldn't rest in her hair. He felt a tug on his shirt again and he looked down.

"Um, Vivi?" Eiko whispered with a grin on her face. "Can I ask you to do something for me this time?"

"What would that be?" Vivi asked.

"Ah … could you … could you do it again?" her voice seemed to fade before she reached the end of the sentence. Her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Of course."

With that, he bent down to kiss her again. That time, Eiko already had her lips parted and his fit together with hers … like two puzzle pieces.

And so, one young girl's wish was granted that night.

AN: Fluffy chapter! Woot! And done just before 20:00! And on time too! Hope you all liked it as much as I did! New art! It's not Zidane yet though. It's Eiko!

Standard disclaimers (from chapters one and two) apply!


	11. The Catalyst

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Catalyst

Garnet yawned as she sleepily walked down the hallways of Lindblum Palace the next morning. She and Zidane had returned late at night due to the difficulty with customs at the aerial gate. She finally understood why it was always important to bring Eiko along whenever they traveled in and out of the city. She barely got any sleep while in her quarters. The previous day had been a rough and confusing day. However, it was probably the most clarifying day that she had in a while. Another yawned escaped and she groaned. Garnet always seemed composed and never hesitated to wake up early to get dressed and wash up. Still, she found herself more and more irritated with every coming morning. It had been years since she ever got to leave Alexandria so casually after all.

For the exception of her, the halls were empty and there was no doubt that people were still sleeping. The maids and butlers had already woken up a few hours earlier to start breakfast and such. Unfortunately, it was Garnet's job to wake up her comrades. She decided that she would start with Vivi's room, figuring that he was the easiest person to wake up. It took a while for her to reach his room since he was the farthest away from hers.

When she arrived, she gently knocked on the door and waited for a response. A few minutes passed and she knocked again. The anticipated response failed her. Without another thought, she opened the door to find a darkened room. The drapes were closed all the way, something strange of Vivi to do. She couldn't see at first and waited for her eyes to adjust themselves to the darkness. She heard the heavy breathing of Vivi … but it seemed … to heavy for some reason. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked over at the bed and blinked. There were two figures in the bed. She blinked again. Was she seeing double? She knew that she was extremely tired that morning and her vision might have failed her. Still, she rushed over to the drapes and whisked them away, exposing sunlight.

To her horror, Vivi Ornitier and Eiko Carol were sleeping in each other's arms in the bed …

A bloodcurdling scream rang throughout the castle, catching the attention of the occupant next door.

Within a few moments, Zidane Tribal popped in the room with a panicked face. He was still in his beater and pajama pants but he was armed and carried his daggers in his fighting stance. He looked around and faced Garnet.

"Your majesty! What's the matter? Is everything all …" his voice trailed off at the sight and he immediately became frightened.

Eiko was sitting on the bed with an expression of terror on her face and she was pulling on the woman's arm in attempt to restrain her. Vivi was pulled up by the collar of his shirt. His face was red on both of his cheeks. Zidane immediately saw that the redness was shaped in hand marks. What disturbed him the most was the scariest expression of anger on Garnet's face. She the furiously threw Vivi on the bed and was about to strike him. Without hesitation, Zidane rushed to her side and restrained her fist.

"Let go of me!" Garnet screeched.

"Your majesty! What are you doing?" Zidane asked carefully. "What's going on?"

"These two!" Garnet pointed back and forth at Vivi and Eiko who were gaping at her with wide eyes and mouths. "They were … sleeping together!"

"What!" Zidane's jaw dropped in shock. "Vivi! I never thought that you … how … how could you?"

Eiko's face flushed.

"We didn't do anything!" she pleaded. "Honest! We just slept … and that was it!"

"Eiko Carol, you're only fifteen years old! Don't do anything stupid like that!" Garnet yelled. "And you! Vivi! You're already a man! How can you take advantage of her like that?"

"No, really, your majesty! We only slept together … it was cold last night … and … well, it was Eiko's" idea and all …" Vivi stammered.

Garnet looked like she was about to faint at the finishing sentence. She then turned angrily to Eiko and rudely pointed to her.

"Eiko Carol, you are not a child anymore! Don't think that you'll get away with just "sleeping" with men, got that? God! Don't you realize what kinds of things you're getting into when you even do something that seems innocent at first?" Garnet said, trying to calm herself down. "You're going to be Regentress of Lindblum … you're going to ruin your reputation … don't you dare make yourself-!"

"Whoa, whoa, your majesty, calm down a moment!" Zidane begged. "They haven't done anything! Look! They're fully dressed and all! Come on, now, you're overreacting."

"_Overreacting?"_ Garnet shot Zidane a dangerous glare, making him flinch slightly.

"Okay, okay, I'll talk to them," he reassured her. "Just … can you give us a moment … you're scaring the poor kids."

"_Kids?"_ Garnet repeated forcefully.

"Okay, fine, um, I'll reprimand them … you're not being very effective doing it this way, you know?" Zidane chuckled nervously, pointing at Vivi's wounded cheeks. "Besides, umm, if this is the case, I guess it's for the better …" he immediately remembered that he and Garnet wouldn't discuss the previous day out loud so he stopped himself. "Nevermind, just … go eat breakfast already. Obviously, we're all awake." He shot a scolding look at the other two and then smiled pleadingly at the angry queen.

"Don't let those two off easy," Garnet threatened as she left the room.

Once the door closed behind her, Zidane let out a sigh of relief and pushed his ponytail out of the way. He looked at the two and placed his hands on his hips sternly. To be honest, he was slightly amused with the whole situation. In fact, if Garnet wasn't so frightening, he would have laughed even. Still, Vivi and Eiko were young and needed to be reminded to certain things. He cleared his throat and coughed a little to get their undivided attention.

"All right," he sighed. "I completely trust that the two of you didn't interact last night. I'm not going to give you a speech about the birds and the bees either. I'm pretty sure you've had that lecture sometime in your lives of that."

Vivi and Eiko looked at each other for a moment and then back at Zidane with slow nods. He cleared his throat again and started talking once more.

"I'm not angry. Well, her majesty is, but I'm sure that she'll calm down in no time," Zidane continued. "Let me say this: just remember that there are always consequences to such actions. We need as much help on this case and we don't want to have any sort of complications …"

"All right," Vivi and Eiko said in unison.

"I know that you're still young," Zidane added. "But please understand that you've grown up."

Knowing that that was all the two had to hear, Zidane sighed and turned to leave. His head started spinning and his heart started to ache. For some reason, he couldn't figure out why.

"Zidane?" Eiko called.

"What is it?" Zidane turned back around.

"Tell Garnet … we're sorry," Eiko finished.

"Haha," Zidane chuckled. "Honestly, we're happy for the two of you. Relieved, even." He stopped laughed. "She was just … in her usual older sister mode at the moment. She cares about you. Just … don't do anything stupid, all right?"

He finally left the room and went back to his own. He suddenly felt embarrassed that they had seen him in nothing but his sleeping wear. He chuckled to himself again and placed his daggers back on the desk. He grabbed one of his clean shirts from his duffel bag and took off the beater. He was glad that he had taken a shower the night before so he didn't have to worry about cleaning up too much. He searched for a clean pair of jeans and placed both articles of clothing on the bed. He stripped off his pajama pants and placed on his clean clothes in replacement. The sun brightly penetrated his room, making his sleepy eyes widen. He yawned and scratched his head, it was pounding.

No matter what he tried to do, he couldn't get the aching pain out of his heart. He sat down on his bed, which he had managed to make before he was "summoned" to the next room. He set his forehead on his right palm, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. It wasn't like him to feel melancholy for no reason and it was definitely not like him to …

Zidane blinked in surprise when his eyes were wet. A single tear trailed down his cheek. He brought his index finger to wipe it away. He then looked at the moistened finger and examined the salty dew that lingered there. More tears were escaping from his eyes then and he hiccupped a sob. He then covered his mouth to muffle his cries but he couldn't stop. It had been years since he last cried and he had always cried alone. It dawned on him then … that he was hurt. The pain seemed to have lingered inside of him and it was only then that he truly felt it. Zidane believed that he could endure it … but in the end … it only came back to bite him.

The feelings he hid for years … they would not go away. Still, he had that sense of duty. He knew that he had to protect something important. He couldn't have it … but he had to protect it.

_It wasn't fair._

They sat quietly at the breakfast table. Garnet was seated next to Zidane and eyed him carefully. Zidane didn't even bother to look back at her in return. Cid kept his mouth shut but understood that everyone was awkwardly silent that morning. Eiko and Vivi were also quiet and ate silently, focusing on nothing but their food. The stern, upset face of Garnet was what made the older man worried. Garnet was usually composed and refined. To see her so upset about something … was quite uncanny.

"Garnet, dear, could you pass the crème?" Cid asked nervously.

Calmly, Garnet looked in front of her and slid the crème in Zidane's direction. Zidane didn't look up but silently handed it to Cid at the end of the table. Garnet coughed daintily, still displaying displeasure on her face. Cid looked at Zidane, silently asking what was wrong by raising an eyebrow. Zidane replied with a shrug of his shoulders and shook his head.

"Um," Eiko cleared her throat, "Garnet?"

Surprised, Garnet looked up and looked at her surrogate cousin. Eiko drew back slightly in fright and grabbed Vivi's hand under the table. Garnet's face softened immediately and she composed herself on the spot. Zidane sighed, relieved that her mood had improved.

"What is it?" Garnet asked.

"Ah … are you prepared?" Eiko asked nervously.

"Yes," Garnet answered. "Oh … and Vivi, I'm sorry for hitting you."

Vivi smiled.

"No, it's okay," he chuckled.

"Garnet, you hit …" Cid started and stopped himself. "Um … nevermind." He then looked at Vivi. "Haha … please, Vivi, Zidane wasn't exactly the role model back then when he was young."

Zidane coughed choked on his roll.

"Oh no, she thought she saw something and attacked me by accident," Vivi laughed. It wasn't a lie at all.

"I see," Cid found himself laughing too. "I guess you are really mature … more than Zidane was back then."

"Oh, I was only sixteen at the time!" Zidane argued with a slight pout. "Vivi is eighteen!"

"It doesn't matter," Cid laughed. "A man at twenty-five is really the peak of maturity. It's a wonder to compare you to how you were back then."

"Really?" Garnet added. "I guess so. Still, he hasn't changed much in some ways. He still has that charisma we all know and love."

"But not that chivalrous sense," Cid finished. "And that's such a relief."

"What? No one liked that?" Zidane joked.

Utensils clanked down on the plates and everyone started laughing at that point. Zidane scratched the back of his neck and chuckled slightly. Yes, he had indeed changed over the years. He was happy that everyone finally found him agreeable. He then reminisced the memories that all had made nine years ago. Change was good and it obviously brought progress.

However, there was one person there that was not completely happy with it.

"Let's see," Zidane said, shuffling through the supply chamber of the ship. "Do we have everything?"

"It seems that the crew took care of everything," Garnet said thoughtfully, as she looked in the bags. "I'm kind of glad that several of them volunteered to pilot the ship this time."

"What, you didn't like me piloting the ship?" Zidane teased.

"No … it's not that," Garnet shook her head. "You're a great pilot."

"That's a relief," he sighed.

They were alone in the cargo area and the ship was about ready to take off. Zidane was armed once again with this daggers at his sides and Garnet even took a rod with her. Zidane remembered that Eiko took along several of her flutes as well. They were at war, it seemed, even though no one was supposed to know about it. Everyone on the ship had grown tense and not many words were exchanged that morning. Zidane zipped up the potion supply and carefully let the bag stand in the corner. That was when the ship began to tremble, giving them warning that they were finally taking off. Zidane leaned against the wall and looked at the solitary window of the metal based room. He heard the thrusters of the engine, and the regular hum took its place in the air. He flashed a smile at Garnet, realizing that she had not fully recuperated from her sour mood.

"I'm less worried now that Eiko and Vivi are on good terms at least," Garnet began.

"You're not angry?" he inquired. "If it makes you feel better, they're really sorry about it. I told the soldiers to keep a spare eye on them too."

"It's all right," Garnet shook her head. "I was just … panicked. Eiko's like a sister to me. She's practically family. Still, I trust Vivi. I know that he wouldn't do anything to her." She then laughed. "Actually, I think it's Vivi we should worry about. Eiko's the one that would initiate something. She's gotten him in trouble a lot since they were younger after all."

"I guess," Zidane agreed. "Should we discuss what happened yesterday with them?"

"I don't feel we need to," Garnet sighed. "After all, why do we need to tell them something they already know?"

"Vivi doesn't know anything," Zidane reminded her.

"Maybe it's best that he doesn't," she added. "It would only … complicate things. Plus, it's one's own duty to discover his destiny."

Her words rang in his ears and made his heart race. Zidane immediately realized that Vivi was in a position that he himself had been in nine years ago. The experience would be painful for sure, but it was necessary for one to realize a meaning to life. As always, Garnet was right. She never failed to amaze him, even to that day. In fact, she seemed to become even more impressive with each passing day. Was it a gain of wisdom? Or perhaps, a gain of pain?

"Your majesty," Zidane started again. "When this is all over …"

"When it's all over?" she murmured slightly.

Garnet slid down next to him and looked at him deeply.

"Well, obviously … it's almost time," he sighed. "When that happens … well … I guess I'll be all right."

Once again, they were nearing their "forbidden" topic. However, the strange thing was that it was Zidane who started it. Garnet was slightly surprised that he was the one that brought it up all of a sudden. Her mind perked up in excitement, but she was afraid of what he was going to say.

"What are you trying to say?" she asked fearfully.

"Seriously, your majesty," he sighed. "Let's not forget your position here. I want you to be happy. That's all that matters to me. However … I decided that when we finish this affair, I'm going to move out of the palace and live in the theater instead."

"You're what?" Garnet knew exactly what he said but she couldn't bring herself to believe it. Zidane sighed again and knew he didn't have to restate it.

"I … am only in your way," he choked. "Please, after this, don't think about me anymore. I … I'll get out of your way and you can go about your business in the kingdom. Please, don't think of me anymore!"

Garnet's eyes widened in anger. The face she had shown that morning returned and rage enveloped her body. The heat was rising in her blood. In fact, she was angrier than how she was that morning and could feel herself trembling at the response. Her hands formed into fists, repulsed at what Zidane had just told her. She then thought about her discovery that morning of the two young lovers. Painful memories instantly filled her brain at the thought.

Vivi and Eiko were once like her and Zidane. It was obviously a pure, innocent love that seemed to spring out of nowhere. Perhaps it was fate that they two got the chance to meet again. She knew, however, that nothing seemed to stand in their way. Eiko wasn't a princess. She was free to marry whoever she wanted. Vivi was already fully acknowledged by Cid. Perhaps she really wasn't angry at all with finding them in each others' arms. Maybe she was actually … just jealous.

Zidane gazed at her curiously, suddenly cautious of her sudden slew of anger. He wasn't at all prepared when she suddenly grabbed his collar and unsheathed one of his daggers. He gasped when his face was close to hers and his dagger was pointed at his throat. He could feel its tip poking at him, ready to smash the artery at any given chance. What scared him the most was the fire in Garnet's eyes as she glared at him dangerously.

"You dare say that to me?" she whispered. Zidane grunted in response as he shamefully watched her. She gripped tighter on his collar and pulled him even closer. One of the buttons on his shirt popped off because of her force, but he knew better than to move. "Do you actually think you have the right to say such a thing to me?"

Garnet shook him, causing him to jolt backwards. His back slammed against the floor hard, causing him to grunt in pain a little bit. Garnet pinned down his arms above his head with one hand. Her other hand still pointed the dagger to his throat. She straddled him, making him realize that he couldn't escape. He knew that if he struggled, she might slit his throat. Though he trusted her with all his heart, he knew that the situation threw that trust out the window. Garnet lowered her head down close to his that some of her hair swept against his face. He noticed the softness of her dark hair but knew better than to think about it too long.

"Your majesty," he started. "What are you-?"

"What is wrong with you?" she whispered maliciously. "Why are you acting like this?"

Puzzled, he gazed at her in confusion.

"I'm acting different?" he said. "Look at you."

"Shut up!" she hissed, slightly jabbing the end of the dagger harmlessly to his throat. "Don't think you know better than I do, Zidane Tribal."

"What are you talking about?" he said as calmly as he could. "You know much more than I do. I'm sure. What's made you so angry? What's up with you today?"

"You only think about yourself!" she countered. "That's what's wrong! How dare you only think about yourself!"

"Myself?" Zidane's eyes narrowed and his eyebrows shifted. "_Myself_? For your information, your majesty, I seem to never be able to think about myself. I'm always too worried thinking about other people … especially _you._ Don't even dare to call me something selfish!"

He was also growing angry, but he was able to keep his anger in check.

"That's what you are!" Garnet argued. Her nails were digging into his wrists, making him convulse slightly from the pain. Sweat was forming on her forehead. "You pretend to care about other people! You only think of the logical things! You can't even care about _yourself! _That's what makes you so selfish right now! You're not even helping _yourself."_

Zidane glared at her in response and clenched his teeth.

"Well, in case you wanted to know, your majesty, I am very concerned about you in particular. I'm quite aware of what will benefit you."

"You have no idea," Garnet muttered in his ear. "You have no idea what benefits me and what doesn't."

"Didn't I tell you to forget about me?" Zidane asked. "You're the one being selfish."

He grimaced in pain when his dagger drew blood against his throat. It was not at all a deep cut, but rather, something like a paper cut. He was slightly surprised that she actually cut him. That confirmed that she had grown mad at that point. The blood started to trickle down to the floor. The two were silent enough that they could hear the droplets hitting the warm metal. Zidane's face softened as he gazed at his queen. Her expression hadn't changed one bit.

"I know I am," she murmured. "You're right. I'm selfish. I'm vain. I'm horrible." She lowered her mouth to his ear again. "Look what you make me do."

Her voice made his body shiver. Partly from excitement, partly from fear. He trembled when he felt her hair brush against his nose as she faced him once again. It was almost numbing and he found that he couldn't move. Garnet's face then softened, suddenly to sadness. It wasn't before long when he felt something wet on his left cheek. He realized that she was crying. After so many years of strengthening her character, she was crying. He wanted to raise a hand to her cheek to catch her tears, but her grip on him only tightened. Her fingernails dug into his wrists but he couldn't feel the pain anymore. Another tear his cheek. For some reason, it comforted him.

How long ago was it when Garnet cried for him?"

"Your majesty," he murmured.

"Why … can't you even call me by my name?" she sobbed. "You always call me by my title … or just even as Dagger. Not once have you called me by my name all these years … except for the time when we met."

"You know Steiner would kill me if I addressed you casually," he answered.

"Steiner's not here," Garnet whispered, starting to smile slightly.

"I know," he chuckled, but he found that his throat stung when he did. "Now … look what you've done."

"I'm not sorry," she said, tears still dripping from her eyes.

A single tear dropped on his lips. They both noticed. Garnet was about to release him to brush it away but he slowly licked it with his tongue. Zidane could taste her salt and he let it linger in his mouth, as if to memorize the taste. He was then surprised when Garnet bent down again. He shivered when he felt her rough tongue against his throat, licking the blood clean. It traveled down his neck where it had dripped. He breathed out a sigh of pleasure and immediately felt shame that he was enjoying it. He suddenly gasped when he felt her lips sucking on his wound.

"Ah-!" he groaned. " … Garnet."

Her grip on his arms suddenly released and she threw away the dagger. Her tears were still coming but there was no longer any malice in her eyes. Her heart pounded when she finally heard her name escape from his lips … in such a sensual way. Zidane gazed at her with kind eyes and finally wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Zidane," she sighed as she gently played with the hair framing his face.

"You're right," he said. "I guess I am selfish. I'm sorry."

"Damn straight," Garnet mumbled. She then giggled. "But I'm not apologizing." She said as she delicately ran a finger down his neck, causing him to shiver once again.

"Heh. You don't have to," he smirked.

"I love you," Garnet whispered, fully smiling. "I … can't love anyone else."

"I love you too," he said, yet it was barely audible. "That's why it pains me lately. I want to be with you. I want to be the one to make you happy." He grinned. "I want to make you_ mine._"

"Then do it," she commanded.

"Oh … not right now!" he groaned. "This isn't the time … or the place!"

Garnet sighed and sat up. They both leaned against the wall, which hummed against their backs. Zidane grasped her hand and gently held her tightly. She gazed into his eyes and sighed.

"Zidane … it'll all work out somehow," she said suddenly.

"Huh?" he hummed. "What do you mean?"

"I … don't worry about them," she stammered. "Please … pretend for once that I'm not your queen."

"That's not hard at all. You're too naughty to be a queen right now," he teased.

He gently pulled her closer to him until her head rested on his shoulder. Garnet savored the feeling of being so close to him … something they hadn't done in years. She then grinned and looked up to his face, which was gazing sweetly at her.

"I'm naughty, huh?" she smirked. "Well … I'm still not apologizing."

"Really?" Zidane said mockingly. "I guess you're in trouble then." He inched closer to her face and whispered, "It looks like someone needs to be punished."

Their lips met at that instant. Garnet closed her eyes and submitted herself to him fully. She didn't care if she was queen. It didn't matter that he was of lower statues. All she wanted was him. She wanted to fully belong to him … and him alone. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to slither in and dance with hers. She groaned into his mouth, tasting the sweetness that he fed her. It wasn't before long when they separated. The PA system suddenly came on, announcing that lunch was ready. Garnet sighed with annoyance and grinned at Zidane.

"Oh well," she sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait."

"I promise you," he said sweetly and innocently, "we'll take care of this when this is all over."

"When this is all over?" Garnet asked again in a jokingly manner.

"I guess it seems I've once again changed my plans," he chuckled.

AN: I was a little sadistic while writing this. If you thought the last chapter was too fluffy … this might take care of it!

Okay, an announcement! School will be starting and I will be working early on campus … so … Unfortunately, that means that updates will be less frequent (probably down to once a week). The fic is _not _on hiatus! I am still going to work on it regularly! So, thanks for all your patience. Eleven chapters since July 28, 2007 is a pretty good start for me and already, this is the longest fic I've ever written. Once again, thanks for reading this far! I really appreciate all the hits and reviews!

Standard disclaimers (chapters one and two) apply!


	12. The Attack

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Attack

The ship landed safely near the woods of the Black Mage Village. The four weary travelers stepped out of the ship and looked around them. Zidane narrowed his eyes and searched for a clue. Judging from Electra's story, she and Orestes were taken by coach to the area they were standing in. Logically, it was within a day's walk or more in some direction. Of course, they were children back then and paid no attention to their surroundings. As if to read his thoughts, Garnet pulled out the mirror from her pocket and opened it.

"Judging from what Electra told us, this should inform us if there are any enchantments around," Garnet said. "But … how are we to figure out how to use it?"

Zidane shrugged. He and Garnet were talking quietly, careful not to let Vivi or Eiko hear them. He glanced over his queen's shoulder and gazed into its reflection. Apparently, the image of the lower realm was not currently in view. That slightly surprised him. .

"Strange, there's nothing there," he observed.

"It's never happened before," Garnet whispered. "Unless …"

Vivi stopped in his tracks and motioned his hand for everyone to stand still. He closed his eyes and felt his heart beating in strange intervals. He then gripped two of his gun handles and looked around suspiciously.

"There's something here," he said softly, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What is it?" asked Eiko.

"I don't know," he replied. "There's definitely something though."

Garnet gripped the handle of her rod and looked around as well. Though she had no magic anymore she could feel it coming from somewhere. Eiko gasped. She could feel it too.

"There's magic here," Zidane said aloud, representing their thoughts. "I can't believe it, but there's magic here."

Garnet stepped forward and waved her hand. She patted the air around her as if she was feeling around for an invisible wall. Zidane followed her gestures and did the same. The air around them was, indeed, a lot denser. After all, the four had grown accustomed to the previous age of magic. The feelings was somewhat nostalgic … however, it was quite different than what they were used to. There was no mist around them and it sent a shudder through their spines. Zidane knocked his knuckles against the substance as if he was knocking a door, causing a bright light to spark in front of him. He smiled cattishly and poked the area again.

"Found something, I see?" Vivi joked.

"Yup. It seems that there's an opening here," Zidane chuckled. "This is obviously a problem."

"I understand that," Garnet agreed. "Apparently, it seems that one would need magic to go in."

"Yup!" Eiko said cheerfully. "However, none of us can use magic anymore."

They were all quiet for a moment. Garnet looked down at the mirror again. The lower realm was still not in view … however, there was a faint flickering light in the image. Zidane looked in her direction again and noticed that she was once again in deep thought. She then reflected the mirror off the "wall", which caused the light to shine strongly. There was a portal that appeared in front of them.

"My, she's as smart as she always is," Zidane teased.

"That's why you should never doubt me," Garnet giggled.

They cautiously headed for the opening and their footsteps slowed as they gazed at their surroundings. It all became familiar at once with the dark, gray skies and the absence of vegetation. The ground below them was a uniform brown color with several rocks scattered at their feet. Zidane curiously kicked at one of the stones and watched as it jumped a few inches away. The rattling sound echoed around them with no other sound present for the exception of their breathing.

The party continued on, observing the sky around them. Garnet shivered, suddenly feeling the chill of the magical presence grow stronger. Eiko yawned but kept herself on guard while Vivi rested his arm on her shoulders to calm her. Zidane lead the way, almost looking fearless but he couldn't help the feeling of nervousness creeping down his spine.

The air was, indeed, heavier than the real world. Garnet bent down to pick up some of the rubble and let the dust and pebbles run through her fingers. She observed the way it ran through her fingers and realized that there was no wind to make it fly. She brushed her thumb and forefinger together, as if to rub the rough feeling in. The world they were in was different than what they were used to. She knew that living in such a world was like a prison to those who were stuck there.

"What is this place?" Eiko asked softly. "It can't be-!"

Once the words escaped from the girl's lips, the ground began to rumble. Eiko shrieked in fear and jumped back. Zidane grabbed and pulled her to his side to protect her. Vivi grabbed Eiko's hand and pulled her close. The warmth of his chest calmed her slightly as she closed her eyes. There was a sudden gust of wind as the four desperately struggled for balance, on the formerly stable ground. The pebbles on the ground rattled.

Garnet opened her eyes in horror when she immediately noticed the fissure on the ground.

"Move!" she screamed in horror.

But it was too late. Before they knew it, Vivi and Eiko fell into the crevasse; Vivi holding Eiko with all his might to break her fall. Eiko froze, only focusing on his body, which was crushed against hers. Her heart started to beat and she felt the hinge of guilt again in her heart. She instantly knew where she was and she didn't need to have a second thought about it. She was being warned and she knew that if she didn't finish her job, she would pay.

But her life didn't matter at the moment. If she was doomed to die, she didn't mind if she died with him; in his arms. Eiko gripped Vivi's body tighter, prepared for the impact that was to come.

There was none.

"Damn!" Zidane cursed through gritted teeth. "What's going on?"

The rumbling stopped and the debris settled. Garnet looked around and finally ran towards the fissured opened. She looked down into the darkness that her friends had fallen into. Zidane stood behind her and gripped her shoulders, preventing her from looking in further. A throbbing began in her head and tears ran from her eyes. She fell on her knees.

"Zidane … they're gone," she stumbled. "I can't believe-!"

Before she could say another word, the crack suddenly smashed back together, sealing the ground. Garnet gaped in horror, for her hands were so close to the opening. Her fingers shook in shock and she stood up. Zidane felt beads of sweat forming on his brow. He examined the remains of the crack but realized that there were none.

"We have to be careful," he said cautiously. "Someone's trying to mess with us."

Garnet clenched her hands into fists and once again fell to her knees. The earth rumbled again, but only slightly. Perhaps it was merely her imagination and her own being felt as if it fell apart. Zidane knelt down beside her to comfort her. His warm breath seemed to do the trick since she finally gave a sigh to signal her thoughts returning to rationality. He then helped her up and held onto her right hand, still feeling her quick pulse.

"We have to stay together," she announced, pointing out the obvious. "This place is unpredictable. There's no way we're ever going to figure out how this works."

"Of course," Zidane agreed. "This is a mirror-land, after all. Everything's an illusion for all we know."

Before he could think of something else to say, Garnet gasped and suddenly threw her free hand in her satchel. She immediately pulled out the compact mirror and opened it.

"Will this help us, do you think?" Garnet asked with a little optimism.

"I can't see why not?" Zidane said with a little uncertainty. "Might as well give it a try?"

Garnet slowly opened the mirror and peered into it. To her surprise, she saw her own reflection. To make it even more surprising, she saw that what was behind her was a wall. A castle wall.

"You're right," she said to Zidane. "This is all an illusion. A sort of hologram, per se."

She faced the lens toward Zidane and he studied himself carefully. He noticed that there was a door behind him and immediately realized that they had entered in that position just a few moments before. He motioned for Garnet to hand over the mirror, which she immediately did. He focused it downward and nodded.

"Just as I suspected," he said. "There seems to be a trap door below us. However, it's obviously machine operated from down below."

A sigh escaped Garnet's lips and she smiled.

"We have to find them," she finally whispered. "But how are we supposed to find our way?"

Zidane peered into the mirror again and turned around in all directions. Within the lens, he studied the area that they were standing in and carefully surveyed the "room". He noted that they were in the equivalent of a castle's entrance and that there were stairs that lead somewhere. He carefully walked forward to a "wall" and placed his hand on it. Though it seemed that there was nothing in front of him, it was clear that there was something solid, just like the wall they had encountered before.

"There must be some way to dispel this," Zidane said thoughtfully. "What do you think?"

"There definitely is."

Behind them came a beautiful woman in her thirties. Her long, curly brown hair draped down her back and her long, green cloak swept across the dust. Zidane realized that she was barefoot and her ankles were adorned with gold, charmed anklets that jingled as she walked. Her hands, which were clasped together, were also decorated with several bangles. The most stunning feature she had were here piercing, sea green eyes, ones that matched Electra's. Her movements were fluid and graceful and she smiled at them sadly.

"Who-?" Was all that Zidane could say.

"I have been waiting for the four of you," the woman said. She threw her arms open. "Welcome to Mycenae."

xxx

"Are you all right?" Eiko asked.

They were still laying on the ground and held each other's hands in the darkness, searching for some light. Vivi felt a surge of pain on his left arm. The impact of their fall wasn't as horrible as he anticipated, but the throbbing pain of his arm refused to subside. He looked at Eiko with a forced smile.

"I'm fine, despite the fact that I nearly crushed my arm," Vivi laughed. He dug through his pockets in search or a lighter. "Well, we obviously need to get out of here."

"Yeah," Eiko said softly.

The lighter glowed brightly, considering the fact that it was their only source of light. Vivi looked around and noticed that they were inside a manmade passage-way. He looked up and noticed that there was a square hole in the ceiling. He immediately figured that it was a trap door. He looked at Eiko and with his right hand, he grabbed her arm.

"So, it looks like this is the actual thing we're seeing," he spoke cautiously. "Clever. A magical barrier to make it look like an earthquake."

They made their way down the passage until a faint light could be seen. Vivi realized that it was coming from a torch. He motioned for Eiko to pick it up and light the others that were on the way. He then ceased the flame of his lighter, since it was no longer necessary. The entire passageway was damp and the sound of water could be heard from the distance. Regardless how dark it was, it was extremely humid. Vivi unbuttoned his coat and breathed out an uncomfortable sigh. They walked briskly until they found a flight of stairs at the end.

"I'm guessing this is the only way to go," Eiko said.

"Yeah," Vivi sighed. "Prepare yourself. The enemy might be waiting for us."

Eiko nodded and they nervously proceeded up the stairs. Vivi found the door and cautiously twisted it open. As he opened the door, light flooded out from the opening. They carefully stepped out and realized that they were in what appeared to be the court of a castle.

"This place …-!" Eiko said in awe. "It's … the castle of Mycenae."

"It's too quiet," Vivi said. "We have to be careful."

They slowly walked to the center where light poured in from the ceiling window. He looked around and immediately pulled Eiko to his chest in a protective manner. Surprised Eiko looked up at him and realized that his face was contorted with concentration. She then heard pitter patter among the floor.

"Footsteps!" Eiko gasped. "But where?"

"Damn!" Vivi snarled. "We're surrounded!"

"What?" Eiko screeched.

There was a flash of light, making the two close their eyes. Vivi squinted his eyes and was gasped at the sudden army that surrounded them. Eiko began to tremble when she turned her head towards the throne. Upon the seat was a young looking queen and a noble man beside her. Eiko began to tremble as sweat formed on her temple.

"So, it seems that you have arrived, Miss Eiko," the woman said.

Eiko's body trembled even harder against Vivi.

"Who are you?" Vivi demanded.

"Don't you dare speak to your queen that way!" the man roared.

"Hush!" the woman said calmly. "You must be civil." She carefully rose and walked towards her new prisoners. "He is my son and all."

Vivi glared at her.

"What are you … cut the crap!" He said, pulling Eiko to his chest tightly. "I don't know what you want with Eiko, but I'm not going to let you do anything to her!"

"Humph," the woman grunted. "As if I cared what happened to her. I suppose that you have no idea what mess you're in." She smiled again. "Though it worries me that you made it back here, Orestes, I am not at all concerned now."

"Don't push your luck, lady," Vivi growled through gritted teeth.

"So it is true after all," the woman sighed. "You have possessed a new soul. By any chance, where did you manage to steal that?"

"Shut up! I don't know what you're talking about!" Vivi shouted.

"No, please," Eiko choked as tears started welling up in her eyes.

"Clytemnestra, just kill him here and now," the man sighed impatiently. "What does it matter? His flesh is here nonetheless."

"My flesh?" Vivi repeated softly to himself. He then looked down at Eiko who was finally crying at that point. "What is going on?"

"I'm sorry," Eiko sobbed. "Oh, god, I'm sorry."

Vivi stood in awe, still holding Eiko close. His mind started spinning, not at all making any sense to him. The guards around them didn't flinch as their swords pointed directly at them. He glanced up and noticed that there were musketeers up in the balconies. He breathed out a sorrowful sigh with no idea what to do. The woman, who he now understood was the queen of the palace walked even closer behind the wall of guards. She looked at them with a serious expression.

"Yes, it seems that somehow, he has made it here," the queen frowned. "I guess that means what it means right? Lindblum is putty in my hands if Miss Eiko recalls."

"Lindblum?" Vivi murmured. His hands loosened their grip on Eiko's shoulders, yet he still held her gently. "You mean those soldiers stuck in that mirror, right?"

"Hmm," the queen sneered. "I suppose they're what you would call a taste of the fate Lindblum may face as we speak."

"No way," Vivi's eyes widened. "Eiko … you knew all about her all along, didn't you? Why didn't you say anything?"

Before he could get an answer, Eiko roughly pushed him away from her with her head down. Before he could reach for his right holster, he was faced with his right gun in his face. Eiko had grabbed it in time just as they had separated from their hold. He cursed himself since he couldn't grasp the left gun because of his injured arm.

"Eiko-!" he gasped.

With an angry look on her face and tears streaming from her eyes, Eiko's body no longer trembled. She aimed the gun at him without fear or hesitation.

"Vivi," she said softly, "I'm sorry. I can't … be sorry enough but … I can't let you live."

xxx

AN (Or more like an apology/agenda letter to the readers):

Okay. I know. It has been extremely long since the last update. I have so many excuses but they're not good enough since everyone has been asking me about it since August. So, I apologize for the wait (imagine me kowtowing at this point). And now, for future plans on this fic.

The process of writing this specific chapter was extremely frustrating. I basically wrote what you see here in August and then over the course of the next months, I re-wrote it since this version really jumps into action. Ironically enough, I was even more unhappy with that second version. Why? Because it would have caused to fic to make a need to be even longer. Basically, I had to choose whether I'm just going to wrap it up or keep going.

Right now, I decided that I'm going to wrap it up this spring. Basically, expect there to be more or less five chapters. I really anticipated that this fic would be longer, but it's just not possible for several reasons: the story is due some main action and is beginning to drag, and the fact that I am unavailable between the months of September and May because of work and university.

Just like everyone else, I hate to see a story unfinished. So, that's the agenda: I will plan to finish this before summer starts.

Once again, I am sorry for not updating sooner. This is one of the most complicated fics I've ever written and I just want a good direction. Finally, I apologize for writing such a long Author's Note.

So anyway, expect a lot more action from now on. And once again, feedback is important, yes.

Coming Up: Betrayal and truth go hand-in-hand.

Disclaimer: I do not own any FFIX or Greek mythology characters. They belong to their rightful owners. I am merely writing this for fun without profit.


	13. The Truth

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Truth

xxx

"So I see," Vivi murmured, not at all flinching from the barrel of his gun. He breathed out a sigh and gazed at Eiko with serious eyes, doing his best to suppress the anger that was rising in his heart.

"Vivi," Eiko, sharing the same expression, didn't even shake as she pointed the weapon at him. "I have to kill you. Here and now. It was my duty."

"Duty?" Vivi echoed almost mockingly. "This is your duty!" He gave a low chuckle, no longer able to hold back his anger. "What the hell is duty to you?" He edged closer until the point of the gun touched the space between his eyes. "So, you've known about all this? The fact that, for so long now, I've been a walking corpse?"

"You're an abomination!" Eiko screeched. "Don't you see? You shouldn't even be alive!" She groaned. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

The words pierced through him as if she had already shot him right there. In fact if only she could actually shoot him, it would have felt less painful. Vivi groaned with distress and grasped her hand. Eiko's breaths became shorter and inconsistent. Despite the fact that he had size advantage, Vivi did nothing to try to stop her.

"Then what are you waiting for?" he growled. "Pull the trigger then if it'll make you happy." A low chuckle forced out. "After all, you had to pretend to be happy while I'm alive."

Eiko glared at him, fresh tears forming out of her eyes. She began to tremble again. Vivi only looked at her calmly, obviously unhappy with the situation. He closed his eyes and noticed that she was trembling. The guards around him lowered their swords, but remained alert as they watched the young lovers in their dilemma. Eiko lowered the gun until it aimed straight at Vivi's heart. Vivi looked down at her. Eiko edged closer until the top of her head touched his chin.

"Get on with it, stupid girl!" The queen yelled, obviously becoming impatient.

"Stop, let him have his last words," Eiko responded bitterly. "And at least let me say goodbye properly."

"Shut up," Vivi said. "What does it matter now?"

"I love you," she said, trembling. "I don't want to do this, but Lindblum is at stake. If I don't kill you here, so many will suffer on your expense." She let out a low sigh. "I must do this, for my kingdom." She tugged at his shirt, forcing him to kiss her. She then looked into his eyes more seriously and as they separated, she touched his cheek, motioning for him to keep his head in that position. "Run," she said, barely audibly, only loud enough for him to hear. Vivi blinked and watched as she pointed the gun back between his eyes.

"Do it," the queen commanded.

"Yes," Eiko said with affirmation. She looked at Vivi again and suddenly whipped her aim towards the throne, pulling the trigger at that instant. The queen staggered but the bullet had only grazed her arm. Vivi's eyes widened with shock, but Eiko shoved him away. "What are you waiting for! Go!"

The guards charged towards them, and the ones in the balcony headed towards the throne area, their priorities were tending to the queen and taking care of her assailant. Vivi grabbed his other two guns out of their holsters and grabbed for Eiko's hand. He grabbed his other gun from its holster and shot at the guards to make a path. He aimed for their legs in order to immobilize them. Eiko shot as well, gripping onto his hand.

"Dammit! We're never going to get out of here! There's too many of them!" Vivi groaned.

"Hang on," Eiko yelled. "Don't let go of my hand."

Before he could say a word, the room grew silent. Vivi looked around and noticed that the bodies around him had changed into a grey color. It was like watching a black and white film. There was no sound, yet the motions around them were intense with action. The guards were blindly looking around and the queen and her partner barked orders, but were muted.

"What is this?" Vivi asked, a bit shocked that they were the only ones making sound.

"No time!" Eiko barked. "We have ten minutes to get out of here! Though that's ample time, it won't be too long until they get a hold of us again. We have to hide!"

"But-!"

"Come on!" Eiko dragged him away from the silent commotion until they reached the entrance of the throne room.

Her grip was so tight, that it her fingernails were digging into his skin. Vivi noticed that she was still crying and couldn't bring himself to ask her any questions. Their main concern was to escape from their enemies and it wasn't the time to focus on the harsh words she had said to him just minutes before. Vivi looked around, scanning the outside for any possible hiding places. For the most part, the courtyard was open and if they weren't invisible, they would have undoubtedly been vulnerable. Vivi took note of the guards that were at the gate and Eiko headed in that direction.

"They're everywhere," Vivi muttered.

"I know, I can get us out," Eiko said nervously. "Somehow."

"How long have we been running?" Vivi asked.

"I'd say about five minutes," Eiko said without much thought. "But just in case, we have to get out of the palace walls. The guards are probably going to look for us in here rather than outside of the village."

Just as she expected, the guards from the gate immediately left their posts and hurried into the castle. They rushed out and ran for a grove of trees, which was just a short sprint from their current location. They rushed out as fast as they could until the color around them returned. The noise of the birds and creatures in the small forest became audible and their footsteps could be heard against the crunching leaves. Eiko stopped in her tracks and let him go. Vivi grasped his two hands together, massaging the marks her nails had left on him. He took a breath and sat down right where he had been standing.

The woods was generally quiet and extremely dark with the exceptions of the small beams of light that poked through the canopy. Vivi shivered, finding their environment a bit spooky, but it was a lot safer than being surrounded in the castle. However, Vivi couldn't shake the strange feeling that there was something there.

"I have a bad feeling," he said aloud. "I don't mean to scare you or anything, but-"

"I can feel it too," Eiko said softly, with slight fear in her voice. "It's … definitely magic … but it's different somehow." She sighed. "This presence really shouldn't exist."

_Shouldn't exist …_

Vivi grunted, a bit annoyed with the term. Eiko looked down at him and then took a seat next to him. She was no longer crying, obviously because she understood that crying would just be a form of escape. She knew that they was no more room for making excuses. Vivi looked away from her, obviously still hurt at what she had said.

"So, we're no longer surrounded," Vivi stated. "So, I guess that here's your chance."

"What?" Eiko asked.

"Kill me," he commanded.

Shocked at his words, Eiko ducked her head and curled her body until her head rested on her knees. Vivi then turned to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Anger aroused in her and she knocked his hand away. Vivi then grabbed her hand violently, forcing her to look at him. In the darkness, his golden eyes were bright, however, she could see the fire ablaze within the glow. She glared at him, upset at his sudden forcefulness and shook off his hand. Without warning, she smacked him across the face.

"Beg for your life more, then!" She yelled. "At least if you could do that, I'll feel a little better!"

"Bullshit," Vivi mumbled. "Don't give me that. After all, I'm an abomination, aren't I?"

The words pierced her and she couldn't find the words to counter that immediately. Eiko sighed and pounded her fist against his chest. Despite how angry they were at each other, Vivi found himself holding her against him. Eiko rested her head against his chest.

"Yes, unfortunately, you are," she said softly. "Really, you shouldn't be alive."

"Oh, well there you go!" Vivi exclaimed.

"Technically, you shouldn't," Eiko continued. "But, you are." She looked into the golden glow of his eyes. Though they were eerie, they were comforting at the same time. "It's true, you're a walking sin. You're in a body that does not belong to you. In fact, it's considered theft. The worst kind of theft that could ever be commited."

Vivi released her, a bit dumbfounded at what she just said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Body stealing," Eiko replied, as calmly as she could, but her voice still quivered. "It's a practice that has been done in this kingdom for eons. It occurs when the castor forces a soul out of a body and takes it for his own."

"Yes," Vivi said. "It's been banned for centuries in the world because it's unethical. I'm quite aware of that."

"Listen to me and hear me out," Eiko requested. "I've been hiding the truth from you for so long. I didn't know how to tell you. However, the situation is quite complicated." She looked down. "I don't expect you to trust me again."

"And I shouldn't," Vivi replied harshly. "I could tell, by looking at you back there, that you really wanted me dead."

"Yes, at that time," Eiko replied.

"What changed your mind?" he asked.

"I couldn't do it," Eiko answered. "I really couldn't do it."

"And why couldn't you?" Vivi pressed on.

"Because, the situation was completely different than what we were informed of," Eiko said blankly.

"So, you were ordered to kill me?" Vivi asked.

"It's complicated," Eiko said again. "You see, Queen Clytemnestra, the one who we saw just now, was the one that ordered me to kill you. However, I'm sure that when you reached Lindblum after I left, my father didn't know what to do. Obviously, he sent you to me.

"Clytemnestra imprisoned many of our men into those mirrors. She used the arts of soul switching. She then took their bodies with her. She gave us a deal: find her country's wanted criminal and execute him, for his crime was that he had forced her son's soul out of his body. Without fail, she would return the bodies and put their souls back into place. At first, we were determined to find him and just end everything. After all, anyone that submits to conjuring magic is subject to death if used heinously. However, that's when everything changed.

"The description she gave us was that of her son, Orestes. Tall, black hair, slender, and very pale. That girl, the one that we saw before leaving Alexandria, was his twin sister, Electra. They are somewhat similar looking and when she identified you, I knew immediately who you, well, your body, was. The fact that you were in this body … was more than enough proof that you were in a stolen body.

"However, we were also ordered to give her the Soul Jewel, one of our national treasures. That's where we were a little reserved on the whole idea. We reported that the Soul Jewel was stolen, but-" Eiko fished the red, palm sized gem from her pocket and showed it to him, "as you can see, I've had it all along. We knew of her power and we understood that with this, she would be very capable of body switching."

"Wait," Vivi interrupted. "You said that she single-handedly entraped the souls of those soldiers in the mirrors. Wasn't she fully capable then?"

"Apparently, no," Eiko shook her head. "Conjuring souls and swapping them is not an easy practice. Like I said, it originates from this kingdom. However, only those of royal bloodline are fully capable of body swapping." She looked at him in the eyes again. "That's when we realized that there was something strange. Though she's the queen, she is incapable of body switching by herself. Obviously, that's why she was seeking the soul jewel." She lifted the red gem in her hands and turned it around. The sunlight made it shimmer in the darkness. "With this jewel, one can have the ability to transfer into another's body. However, it requires a lot of magical strength since it only gives the castor ten minutes to force the other soul out."

"So, you're saying," Vivi summarized, "that she has that potential, but not the actual power to do so?"

"Exactly," Eiko nodded. "But the real thing you have to realize is that she is not of the original royal bloodline."

"I see," Vivi said. "She married into the family."

"Right!" Eiko agreed. "That's why I kept the jewel with me for safekeeping. When I used it, we were in a state of transcendence, or in their terms, our bodies turned invisible and we traveled into a new sort of realm. At that state, we could have been capable of trying to enter the bodies of others around us. Once that happens, our bodies become visible again, but other souls would have either been lost or swapped. Now of course, if we had done that, we would've been caught.

"Back to Clytemnestra, if we didn't cooperate, Lindblum would have been at stake. It's my home now, and you know how important it is to me. It's selfish, I know," Eiko shook her head at herself. "But I'll confess … I was ready to just get the job over with. However, once I found that it was you … I began to be hesitant."

"You're saying that if it wasn't me, you would have just gone and killed this body on the spot?" Vivi said with disbelief. There was no response at first so he pressed her again. "If it was someone else, it wouldn't have mattered, right?"

"In some ways, yes," Eiko admitted. "However, my father's a lot more patient than I am. Of course, we were going to investigate, and that angered me at first. I mean, rationally, you would rather give up one rather than thousands … but I was wrong." She chuckled a little. "After meeting you again and understanding that you're alive right now … right in front of me, I began to realize … just as my father told me … that all life is precious. It doesn't matter if it's one or one billion. The value is the same."

The two were quiet for a moment. Vivi exhaled and looked up at the scattering lights above them. The strange magical presence came to mind again and he looked around. The trees around them seemed to be alive. In fact, the entire forest itself seemed to be alive.

"This can't be," he, said softly. "These trees!"

"What about them?" Eiko asked.

"It's almost like … the Iifa Tree," Vivi gasped. "But in a way, it's different."

"Well, there's no mist," Eiko observed. "Also, though there are many of them, they are a lot weaker in power."

"That is because you are on holy grounds," a woman's voice spoke up.

They froze and a robed woman appeared before them. Behind her were Zidane and Garnet.

"Vivi! Eiko!" Garnet ran towards them and embraced them.

The woman walked towards Vivi and bowed.

"Welcome back, Prince Orestes."

xxx

AN: Gah. Internet was gone due to extremely bad weather. Anyways, for some news, there will be no update next week due to the fact that I'll be out of town … unless I'm somehow lucky to find time or an internet connection. Otherwise, expect an update the week after. We're almost done, folks!

Coming up: the prophecy.


	14. The Prophecy

The Libation Bearers

Rae

The Prophecy

xxx

"Prince?" Vivi repeated dumbfoundly, having a bit of trouble breathing from Garnet's tight grip.

"Yes, the prince," the woman laughed. "But I'm afraid that we have no time to waste. We must get you to safety."

Garnet released the two and grasped Eiko's hand. Eiko squeezed it nervously while looking at Vivi, who was a being somewhat. Zidane, however, noticed Vivi's strange aura, but decided to brush the feeling away. They had reunited safely and it was a relief that they had all found each other. The woman began to walk away, and they all knew instinctively that it would be wise to follow.

The woods were peaceful, but the trees had a strange aura that Garnet could not interpret. She had been a former magic user, but she had never felt anything like it before. She could sense the uneasiness of the other former mages and knew that there were still a lot of questions that needed to be asked. They made their way to a narrow path. Owls could be heard from the distance and though it was still daytime, there were crickets chirping. Garnet noticed that the woods were becoming darker and darker, and the sun was finding it difficult to penetrate through the thick canopy. Still, the trees around them were large and strong. They might have been hundreds, if not eons old.

They then reached a small cottage that was faintly lit. There was a fire burning on the outside and the smell of incense was subtle in the atmosphere. Outside the cottage was a small well and fire pit. Zidane noticed that there was also a large cauldron on top of the pit, and it looked to have been used not too long ago. He couldn't avoid how bright Vivi's eyes had gotten in the darkness, almost like a lone wolf. It was comforting since it was their brightest light. Still it was strange as to why there was a cottage in the middle of nowhere and why such a woman was residing there.

The woman unlocked her door and motioned for them to go inside. Zidane lead the way and peered inside. The small cottage was simple and relaxing. There was light, for some odd reason, even though there was not electricity. Puzzuled, Zidane searched for a light by slightly touching the wall. The woman laughed and he jumped in surprise.

"Um … you get power around here?" he asked sheepishly.

"It is all run by electricity, yes," the woman chuckled. "Magic, as you can see, is quite abundant in these parts."

"It really is magic," Garnet said, astonished. "Just as I thought! All the trees here are-!"

"Yes, magical trees," the woman finished. "Something like your Iifa Tree. However, I'm afraid that I have not introduced myself yet. I'm sorry." She took a seat on one of her chairs at the small table, which sat six, and indicated that everyone take a seat. "I am Dione, and as you can see, I have been exiled."

"Exiled?" Zidane repeated. "You mean, from the castle, right?"

"That is right," Dione repeated. "I was the oracle of Mycenae and because of the prophecy that has cursed this family, I was cast away."

"What were you doing in the castle?" Vivi asked.

"I had sensed your presence the moment you stepped into this territory, you see," Dione answered calmly. "You see, the time of the prophecy is close, and we must take preparations to go through it."

"You're talking about the family curse, right?" Zidane asked.

Everyone looked at Zidane with a puzzled look.

"Curse? What curse?" Eiko inquired.

"The curse of Atreus," Garnet answered.

"You mean, like that novel?" Vivi asked, recalling that he had been reading it not too long ago. "I thought that it was just a myth."

Garnet and Zidane spent the next hour or so telling the story that Electra had told them. Vivi's eyes widened and Eiko listened intently. For the first time since the four had met, they finally opened up. Dione smiled as she watched the younger pair's expressions and was pleased that Garnet and Zidane were very clear about the prophecy. Once Zidane finished his explanation, Eiko shook her head.

"It all makes sense now!" Eiko exclaimed. "That's why she wants Vivi dead!"

"Yes!" Garnet replied. She looked at Vivi, who had been quite the entire time. "So, you see? We can end this once and for all!"

"Still, the fact that you say that Clytemnestra is all powerful and all," Eiko added. "Well, not entirely. She needs the soul jewel to extract souls. She's quite skilled at it, but she can't do it alone."

"But according to Electra, she's still is quite powerful," Zidane said. "She couldn't have possibly had the soul jewel during the time she imprisoned those soldiers, right? Then there was the time she killed Orestes."

"She has such a powerful potential," Dione agreed. "In fact, her talents are extraordinary. However, because she lacks the royal blood, she cannot actually cast the spell on her own."

"Then how did she do it nine years ago?" Zidane asked

"A soul jewel," Clytemnestra replied.

"Wait! I have the jewel with me," Eiko countered.

Zidane and Garnet looked at Eiko suspiciously.

"Ah yes, soul jewels are rare, but there is more than one of them," Dione chuckled. "There are no more than five. They are passed down family generations. However, it seems that for some reason, at one point, Lindblum gained possession of one."

"So, that's how she was able to trap those soldiers in the mirrors!" Zidane realized.

"I see," Garnet nodded. "But why would she want that last jewel?"

"That … I'm not even sure," Dione replied. "The queen cannot swap bodies like those of royal blood can. Our ancestors have worked hard to make sure that the magic is inaccessible to those outside the royal family, a sort of seal. However, with these jewels, she can transport souls."

"But why would she want to do all of this? That's my main question," Zidane inquired.

"Queen Clytemnestra is an ambitious woman," Dione said thoughtfully. "For so many years, she hated her husband … after the sacrifice of their first daughter."

"Iphigenia … " Vivi murmured.

Everyone stopped and looked in Vivi's direction. His eyes were closed and he was looking down at his lap. He clenched the fabric of his jeans, as if gripping onto something to stabilize himself. He bent down, hands suddenly clutching his head. He grunted as if he was in pain.

"Vivi, is something the matter?" Garnet asked with concern. She hurriedly rushed to his side and placed her arms around him, looking at Zidane with panic. Eiko watched in horror was Vivi groaned in pain. "Vivi! What's going on?"

Dione knelt down in front of the young man and gazed at him intently. Vivi painfully opened his eyes and she sighed. Her eyes dropped a little with a hint of sadness.

"I'm afraid that the time really is coming close," she said. "Though the prince is no longer in this body, that doesn't mean that the body has lost its purpose … its will."

Garnet gasped as she gazed at Vivi. His brow was drenched in sweat and his breathing was becoming irregular. He faced her with a saddened expression, struggling with himself. He gave a cry and fell backwards on the couch, pulling at his dark hair. Garnet placed a hand on his forehead.

"He has a fever!" she gasped.

"Vivi! Hang in there!" Zidane yelled.

Vivi's vision became blurry and before he knew it, everything turned black.

xxx

"_So, we finally meet."_

_Vivi's eyes snapped open. He noticed that he was sitting on a small, white couch. He looked around and noticed that everything around him was white. He then realized that there was someone else sitting next to him on the couch. He blinked._

_The person he was looking at shared his face and clothes. The only difference was the pair of green eyes the other had. The young man smiled at him._

"_Who are you?" Vivi asked._

"_I am you … but once, I was called Orestes," the other replied._

"_The one that gave this body to me," Vivi murmured._

"_That's right!" Orestes laughed."It has been several years now … three since this body awakened, hasn't it?"_

"_I suppose," Vivi said thoughtfully. "But … there are still many things that I cannot understand."_

"_Is that so?" Orestes chuckled. "Well, to tell you the truth, I cannot answer much, for these matters don't exactly require understanding."_

_Vivi shook his head._

"_I searched, for so long, the meaning of my life. It was supposed to end long ago and yet … here I am," Vivi sighed. "I am walking and breathing among people again, in fact, with better composure and balance. But it's only been these three years where I truly feel alive … I guess it's because I'm finally human."_

"_Electra promised me that my body would go to good use," Orestes said softly. "You deserve it, and I'm happy that you are able to continue living. Don't you see? So many people want you to live! That is your will to keep yourself alive."_

"_My will?" Vivi repeated._

"_You care so much for others. You are a kind person. Even though my soul has been taken away from this body, you are there to tend it. However … unfortunately, you are obliged to fulfill the duties that this body must finish," Orestes spoke sadly._

"_I must … kill her," Vivi stated. "Yes, I'm quite aware of that."_

"_She is no longer my mother, but a woman consumed with desire for power," Orestes explained. "I'm afraid that it must be done to end the suffering. You see, the curse ended when she killed father … as he bathed in his own blood. " _

"_That's right," Vivi nodded to himself. "She killed him while he was taking a bath in the tub." He gasped. "Hey, how is it that I can remember this?"_

"_You and I share the same body. My soul is still alive, and I am in tuned with this body. You see, complete separation isn't exactly possible. Of course, this body is fully in your control," Orestes smiled. "When Electra found you, she discovered that you and I were identical. A perfect match. That was probably why you woke up so soon after the switch. Some people take ten or twenty years to wake up. Also, because of this match, you and I are very in tune together. I can feel your happiness, sadness, and anger from where I am."_

"_You can?" Vivi asked, blushing._

"_Don't be embarrassed!" Orestes laughed. "I'm not saying that I can tell exactly what you're up to. I can just feel your aura … from this prison."_

"_Where are you now?" Vivi asked._

"_I am trapped," Orestes answered. "My mother has me imprisoned in the stone on her neck. It is a red jewel, a soul jewel. You see, my mother cannot use her magic unless a soul jewel is present … or if there is one of royal blood with her. Only one soul can fit inside one jewel. Well, actually, I must carefully explain to you how the magic works. It seems that no one seems to have a clear concept of Mycenaeyen magic since it is fragmented between the four of you."_

"_Go on," Vivi pressed._

"_You friend, Eiko, is right. My mother cannot do this magic on her own. She needs a soul jewel to take control of souls whether to place them in the lower realm, another body, or imprison them within the gem. The hardest art to cast is body swapping. It's quite difficult to force a soul out of a body and force it in another. The jewel only gives the castor ten minutes. Usually, it ends in failure. Because my sister and I are of the bloodline, it was successful. You see, only those of royal blood can do it correctly."_

"_But if she has the other jewels, then why does she want the one Eiko has?" Vivi asked._

"_That … is why I came here to warn you," Orestes said. "She is after you. She will imprison you in the jewel. You see, she cannot "kill" you since your will to live is so strong, meaning, your soul is still young and fresh. She plans to entrap your soul in the last jewel and then dispose of your body later. You see, as the family curse states, the child is fated to kill his or her parent. In this case, I was fated to kill her. Originally, for many generations, it has been the father that was killed. Because she killed my father, that ended the cycle. However, the curse ends …" Orestes grasped Vivi's hand and held it tight. " … With this body. Once it is done, the bloodshed will end and her tyranny will free the kingdom of Mycenae. No more shall this secret kingdom be stuck in the lower realm. That … is the prophecy that will bring peace to Mycenae … along with the rest of the world."_

"_Then … will I give this body back to you afterwards?" Vivi asked._

_Orestes grinned._

"_That … depends on you … and your will to live," Orestes answered. "But now is the time to go." He stood up and brought a hand to Vivi's eyes. "I am happy to finally have met you. I will continue watching you from this prison. Now, close your eyes …"_

_Vivi closed his eyes and slumber immediately overtook him. The sounds of Orestes's feet shuffled and tapped until they faded away._

_xxx_

"_Vivi … everything will be all right."_

"Vivi!" Eiko screeched.

Vivi found himself in back in the room with his companions. Eiko was gripping on his hand tightly in fear. He groaned, still a bit disoriented, and slowly sat up.

"It seems that you have returned," Dione spoke up.

"Huh?" Vivi voiced.

"Apparently, you temporarily lost control of your body," Dione said. "Was it _him?"_

They all looked at Vivi seriously.

"Yes," Vivi answered.

"What happened?" Eiko asked. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Vivi smiled. "Everything is all right … and everything _will _be all right."

xxx

AN: I tried to explain things in this chapter as I've been trying to get things under control. I know I promised a more action oriented chapter, but it didn't happen. Things got a bit too confusing so I spent this last two wrapping things up, concerning the political and family affairs of the royal family.

I really must admit that I'm surprised at where this story's going. I originally wanted to focus more on Zidane and Garnet … however, Vivi's taking place as the main character! It's … kind of crazy. Gah … how will this end?


End file.
